希 kanji stroke order 希 japanese kanji writing 希 kanji diagram-kanji lookup

1. The Core Meaning and Usage of "希"

The kanji 希 carries a primary sense of "hope" and "wish," but it strongly overlaps with meanings of "rare," "few," and "uncommon." This duality is key to understanding it.

A. Meaning: Hope, Wish

• Reading: Ki (き) or Ke (け) in compounds, often read as mare in its native Japanese form.

• Meaning: To wish for something; to hope for something.

• Examples:

• 希望 (kibou) = hope, wish, aspiration

• 希求 (kikyuu) = earnest desire, yearning

• 希う (kou) = to wish for, to request (an alternative spelling for 願う)

B. Meaning: Rare, Sparse, Uncommon

• Reading: Ki (き) or Ke (け)

• Meaning: This meaning emphasizes scarcity. It implies that something is so rare that you hope to see it.

• Examples:

• 希少 (kishou) = scarce, rare, uncommon

• 希有 (ke'u) = rare, extraordinary, unparalleled (also written as 稀有)

• 希代 (kidai) = extraordinary, unheard-of (also written as 稀代)

C. As a Prefix: "Pro-"

• Reading: Ki (き)

• Meaning: In some scientific and academic contexts, it's used to mean "pro-" in the sense of "favoring" or "before."

• Examples:

• 希釈 (kishaku) = dilution (lit. "rare-ing" the concentration)

• 希ガス (ki-gasu) = Noble Gas (lit. "Rare Gas") - This is a direct example of the "rare" meaning.

2. Correct Kanji Writing and Stroke Order

"希" is a character of 7 strokes with a clear top-bottom structure. The key is to balance the top and bottom parts.

Stroke Order (7 Strokes):

Let's break it down into two main components:

1. The Top Part (㐅): This is a cross-shaped pattern.

• Stroke 1: A long horizontal stroke, from left to right.

• Stroke 2: A long vertical stroke, cutting through the center of the horizontal stroke.

• Stroke 3: A left-falling slash, from the center.

• Stroke 4: A right-falling slash, from the center. (Strokes 3 and 4 form an "X" on top of the cross).

2. The Bottom Part (巾): This means "towel" or "cloth" and forms the base.

• Stroke 5: A vertical stroke on the left side.

• Stroke 6: A horizontal折 (oré) stroke. This is one fluid stroke: it starts as a horizontal line from the top of the left vertical, then turns sharply downward into a long vertical stroke that hooks slightly inward at the very end.

• Stroke 7: A very short horizontal stroke inside the "巾" component, connecting to the central vertical. This is often written as a small dash.

Visual Guide: For a dynamic view, search "希 stroke order" on websites like jisho.org or kakijun.jp.

Key Writing Tips:

• Balance: The top cross-and-X structure should be wide enough to comfortably "sit on" the bottom part. It should not be too small or cramped.

• The Bottom (巾): The final vertical stroke (part of Stroke 6) should be the longest stroke in the entire character, providing a solid foundation.

• Symmetry: Try to make the top part as symmetrical as possible. The two slashes (Strokes 3 & 4) should mirror each other.

3. Historical Origin and Etymology

The history of "希" is fascinating because its two main meanings ("hope" and "rare") are deeply intertwined.

1. The Original Pictograph:
   The character is a combination of two elements:

• Top (㐅): This pattern is a stylized representation of embroidery or a woven pattern in cloth. It depicts threads crossing each other.

• Bottom (巾): This is the radical for "cloth" or "towel."

2. The Original Meaning:
   So, the original meaning of "希" was a piece of cloth with a sparse, open weave. Think of linen or gauze—fabrics where you can see through the gaps between the threads.

3. Evolution of Meaning:

• Step 1: Sparse Weave -> Rare: From the meaning of a loosely woven, see-through fabric, it naturally extended to mean "few," "sparse," "thin," and "rare." If something is see-through, the material is scarce in any given area.

• Step 2: Rare -> To Hope For: This is the crucial conceptual leap. When something is rare, it becomes something you hope to see or obtain. Think of a rare bird—a "rare bird" is a "bird one hopes to see." This connection between scarcity and desire is the heart of this kanji.

• Step 3: Hope -> Wish: The meaning then solidified into the general feeling of "hope" and "wish," independent of rarity.

This evolution is perfectly preserved in the two main words:

• 希少 (Kishou - Rare): Uses the original "sparse/scarce" meaning.

• 希望 (Kibou - Hope): Uses the derived "wish/desire" meaning.

Summary

In essence, "希" is a kanji that beautifully captures a human truth: the things we hope for most are often the things that are just out of reach—the rare and precious things in life. Its very structure, a pattern on cloth, tells this ancient story of scarcity and desire.