烈 means “fierce, ardent”

れつ · retsu

Also: violent, vehement, furious

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

はげしい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

レツ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 10 strokes

The story

A row (列) over fire (灬): picture flames racing along in a line. 烈 is fierce heat and passion: 強烈 is intense, 猛烈 furious, and 熱烈 ardent, as on banners reading 熱烈歓迎, the warmest of welcomes.

Used in 強烈 (kyouretsu, intense/powerful), 猛烈 (mouretsu, fierce/furious), and 熱烈 (netsuretsu, ardent)

More from Bold & Fierce

• 剛 sturdy
• 酷 cruel
• 壮 robust
• 敢 daring
• 激 intense
• 厳 strict
• 堅 firm
• 豪 mighty
• 猛 ferocious
• 冒 risk

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