The Kanji: 航 (Kō / Wataru)
The kanji 航 means "to navigate," "to sail," or "to fly." It combines 舟 (boat) with 亢 (high), originally depicting ships sailing on the high seas. This character represents navigation across water and air.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 航空 (kōkū) - Aviation
航空会社で働く。
"Work for an airline company."
2. 航海 (kōkai) - Voyage
船で世界航海に出る。
"Set sail on a world voyage."
3. 航行 (kōkō) - Navigation
船が海上を航行する。
"The ship navigates the sea."
4. 就航 (shukkō) - Entering service
新しい船が就航した。
"A new ship entered service."
In summary, 航 describes navigation and transportation - from air travel (航空) and sea voyages (航海, 航行) to vehicle deployment (就航). It's essential for transportation vocabulary in Japanese.