関 means “connection, barrier”

かん · kan

Also: gateway, involve

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

せき, かかわる, からくり, かんぬき

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 14 strokes

The story

A gate (門) with its bolt across: 関 is a barrier, and also what links two sides, as in 関係. 関西 and 関東 are named for lying west and east of old barrier gates, and every home has a 玄関, the entryway where shoes come off.

Used in 関係 (kankei, relationship), 玄関 (genkan, entryway), and 関心 (kanshin, interest)

More from Ties & Differences

• 平 flat
• 共 together
• 交 cross
• 側 side
• 違 differ
• 差 difference
• 横 side
• 雑 mixed
• 互 each other
• 似 resemble
• 緒 together
• 内 inside

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

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