翁
翁·venerable old man
- On-yomi
- オウ
- Kun-yomi
- おきな
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 翁 | おきな | venerable old man; the old man of Noh |
| 老翁 | ろうおう | old man |
| 塞翁が馬 | さいおうがうま | good and bad luck are unpredictable (proverb) |
| 翁面 | おきなめん | the Okina mask (Noh) |
Example sentences
昔話に出てくる翁は山に住んでいた。
むかしばなしにでてくるおきなはやまにすんでいた。
The old man in the folk tale lived in the mountains.
人間万事塞翁が馬というではないか。
にんげんばんじさいおうがうまというではないか。
As they say, you never know what fortune will bring.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- 翁 is respectful and literary — in everyday speech say おじいさん
- 〜翁 after a name honours a distinguished elderly man in writing
Memory aid
Picture it
公 over feathers 羽: hair grown feather-white on a man everyone honours.
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 翁 mean?