CHARACTER HOME PAGE

(tin) can; container; steam boiler; kettle; "jar" radical
Kanji 1095

Thank you for visiting this Character Home Page. Below you'll find a synopsis of the essay. If you wish to read the full text, the PDF of the essay is available for purchase to the right.

Synopsis

The yomi most often used for 缶 is KAN. How perfect is that for a kanji that means “can”?! That isn’t entirely a rhetorical question. Really, why is the yomi such a perfect match for the English word? This seemingly straightforward question has anything but a straightforward answer. Find out about this, as well as ways to speak about canned food, canned beverages, and "canned" people (which is not to say that they've been fired or that they're trite!). Learn about 缶 as a radical, too!

Revision history:

May 28, 2021: 

  • p. 1: Added "jar" radical as the last major definition of this kanji.
  • p. 2: Updated the Henshall etymology.
  • p. 6: Added a link to the Kanshudo games.

Sept. 14, 2012: Added 2 photos on page 7.

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JOYO ON-YOMI
カン
JOYO KUN-YOMI
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STROKES6
RADICAL缶 (121: jar)
JLPTN1
HALPERN1282/1750
HENSHALL1095/1141
SPAHN2k4.6