こ

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See also: ご, こ゚, and ح

こ U+3053, こ
HIRAGANA LETTER KO
← げ
 		Hiragana ご →

Japanese

Stroke order
2 strokes

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Derived in the Heian period from writing the man'yōgana kanji 己 in the cursive sōsho style.

Syllable

こ • (ko) 

  1. The hiragana syllable こ (ko). Its equivalent in katakana is コ (ko). It is the tenth syllable in the gojūon order; its position is か行お段 (ka-gyō o-dan, “row ka, section o”).
Derived terms
See also

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of こ – see the following entries.
【戸】2
houses; apartments
door
The smallest administrative division under the ritsuryō system of governance.
house; apartment
household; family
【故】5
the deceased, late
old; past; former
【個】5
item, article, thing
Alternative spelling
㐰
【呼】6
to breathe out, to exhale, to sigh
to shout, to yell
to call (someone), to address
【孤】S
an orphan
solitude
solitary
【弧】S
arc
【顧】S
looks back, double-takes (often as 一(いっ)顧(こ) (ikko))
(figurative, chiefly in the negative) care, concern; amount one cares
Alternative spelling
コ
【袴】J
(rare) hakama: a type of traditional Japanese trousers
(rare) momohiki: traditional Japanese closefitting workman's trousers
(historical, military): prior to World War II, the general term for trousers in the Imperial Japanese Army
【壺】H
hu (ancient Chinese vessel shaped like a vase, usually used to store alcohol)
Alternative spelling
壷
(This term, こ (ko), is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.)
For a list of all kanji read as こ, see Category:Japanese kanji read as こ.)

(The following entries are uncreated: 古, 庫, 湖, 固, 己, 股, 虎, 枯, 虚, 雇, 誇, 鼓, 錮, 乎, 胡, 糊, 姑, 沽, 狐, 扈, 蠱.)

Etymology 3

Native.

For pronunciation and definitions of こ – see the following entries.
【子】1
a child
(figuratively) a girl, especially a dear or desired one (compare use of English baby, babe)
(endearing) creature
a smaller or younger version of a bigger object
(hanafuda, card games, by extension, board games, gambling) person who is dealt cards
an object which has a subservient or derivative role relative to another object
suffix used in female given names, such as 智子 (​Tomoko), 英子 (​Eiko), 秀子 (​Hideko), 美奈子 (​Minako), 有希子 (​Yukiko)
(rare) suffix used in male given names
an object having a particular state or property (sometimes diminutive)
roe (only when preceded by a fish name, or fish-related prefix)
a surname
Alternative spellings
児, 娘
【小】1
less in size or quantity, small, little, short
less in intensity, small, light, slight
of secondary importance, secondary, sub-
infant
【粉】5
powder
flour
【籠】S
a basket, especially one made of bamboo
Short for 伏籠 (fusego): a clothes airer, or chicken coop
Alternative spelling
篭
【木】1
Combining form of 木 (き, ki): tree; wood
【濃】S
dark color
【海鼠】
(obsolete) sea cucumber
【蚕】6
(obsolete) silkworm
【処】6
(not productive) place
(This term, こ (ko), is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.)
For a list of all kanji read as こ, see Category:Japanese kanji read as こ.)

Etymology 4

Pronoun

こ • (ko) 

  1. 此: (derogatory) you
  2. 是: (humble) you

Old Japanese

Etymology 1

From Proto-Japonic *kə.

Pronoun

こ (ko₂)

  1. this
Derived terms

Etymology 2

From Proto-Japonic *kə.

Noun

こ (ko₂)

  1. (in compounds only) place
Derived terms

Etymology 3

The reading of various spellings.

Noun

こ (ko₁)

  1. 籠: basket
  2. 子: child; a diminutive noun
  3. 蚕: silkworm
  4. 粉: flour

Prefix

こ (ko₁-)

  1. 濃: deep
  2. 小: small

Etymology 4

The reading of various spellings.

Noun

こ (ko₂)

  1. 木: tree, wood
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