紅 means “crimson, deep red”

こう · kou

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

べに, くれない, あかい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コウ, ク

JLPT N2 · Taught in grade 6 · 9 strokes

The story

Thread (糸) worked (工) in the dye vat until it runs deep crimson. 紅葉 are the red leaves of autumn, 紅茶 is what English calls black tea, and 紅白 is the red and white of celebrations and of NHK's New Year's Eve song contest.

Used in 紅茶 (koucha, black tea), 紅葉 (kouyou, autumn leaves), and 紅白 (kouhaku, red and white)

More from Field & Harvest

• 粉 powder
• 綿 cotton
• 咲 bloom
• 耕 till
• 麦 wheat
• 粒 grain
• 枯 wither
• 畜 livestock
• 農 farming
• 植 plant
• 羽 feather
• 季 season

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

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