肯 means “affirm, agree”

こう · kou

Also: agreement, consent, comply with

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

がえんじる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コウ

JLPT N2 · Taught in secondary school · 8 strokes

The story

Stop (止) over flesh (月): picture a head that stops shaking and settles into a nod. 肯 is saying yes: 肯定 is affirming, the opposite of 否定, and 自己肯定感, self-affirmation, is Japan's everyday word for self-esteem.

Used in 肯定 (koutei, affirmation), 肯定的 (kouteiteki, positive/affirmative), and 自己肯定感 (jikokouteikan, self-esteem)

More from Heart & Mind

• 依 depend
• 純 pure
• 快 pleasant
• 悩 worry
• 珍 rare
• 叫 shout
• 憎 hate

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.