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道Nihongo Path
郎

郎·son (name suffix)

On-yomi
ロウ
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

9 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
太郎たろうTaro (male given name)
新郎しんろうbridegroom
一郎いちろうIchiro (male given name)
野郎やろうguy (rough, rude)

Example sentences

  1. 新郎新婦が部屋に入ってきた。

    しんろうしんぷがへやにはいってきた。

    The bride and groom came into the room.

  2. 田中太郎と申します。

    たなかたろうともうします。

    My name is Taro Tanaka.

  3. 両親は長男に一郎と名づけた。

    りょうしんはちょうなんにいちろうとなづけた。

    My parents named their eldest son Ichiro.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 新郎 as *しんろ
  • Using 野郎 as a neutral word for a man — it is rough slang

Memory aid

Picture it

良 (good) beside the village radical 阝 — the village's good young man, hence a son's name.

Quick check

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What does the kanji 郎 mean?