賀 means “congratulations, celebration”

が · ga

Also: joy

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ガ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 4 · 12 strokes

The story

Adding (加) gifts of shells (貝), the old money: congratulations with something in hand. Each New Year's Day the post brings 年賀状, New Year's cards, often marked 謹賀新年, and 賀 also sits in place names like 滋賀 and 佐賀.

Used in 年賀状 (nengajou, New Year's card), 祝賀 (shukuga, celebration), and 滋賀 (shiga, Shiga)

More from Rites & Omens

• 斎 purification
• 犠 sacrifice
• 寿 long life
• 祥 good omen
• 牲 sacrifice
• 縁 bond
• 慶 celebration
• 盆 Obon
• 凶 bad luck
• 宴 banquet
• 賓 honored guest
• 崇 revere

Learn 賀 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

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