奥
奥·inner part, depths, the back
- On-yomi
- オウ
- Kun-yomi
- おく
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 奥 | おく | the back, the interior |
| 奥さん | おくさん | (someone else's) wife |
| 奥深い | おくぶかい | profound, deep |
| 山奥 | やまおく | deep in the mountains |
Example sentences
トイレは店の奥にあります。
トイレはみせのおくにあります。
The toilet is at the back of the shop.
奥さんによろしくお伝えください。
おくさんによろしくおつたえください。
Please give my regards to your wife.
祖母は山奥の小さな村に住んでいる。
そぼはやまおくのちいさなむらにすんでいる。
My grandmother lives in a small village deep in the mountains.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 奥奧奧 is the older form of the same character, still seen in old signs and names.
- 奥奇奇 (strange) shares the 大 at the bottom but has 可 on top instead of the enclosed box.
Common mistakes
- Using 奥さん for your own wife — say 妻 or 家内 about your own
- Reading 山奥 as やまおう instead of やまおく
Memory aid
Picture it
Something boxed in above a wide 大 — the innermost room of a big house, furthest from the door.
Vocabulary using this kanji
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What does the kanji 奥 mean?