歓 means “delight, welcome”

かん · kan

Also: joy

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

よろこぶ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 15 strokes

The story

The left half of 観, a crested bird (隹), beside a wide-open mouth (欠): picture a crowd's mouths flung open in a cheer. 歓声 is a roar of delight, 歓迎 a welcome, and the 歓送迎会 is the spring office party for staff coming and going.

Used in 歓迎 (kangei, welcome), 歓声 (kansei, cheer), and 歓送迎会 (kansougeikai, welcome and farewell party)

More from Joy & Sorrow

• 慰 console
• 悔 regret
• 奮 stir up
• 嘆 lament
• 憂 anxiety
• 惜 a pity
• 憾 regret
• 哀 sorrow
• 悦 joy
• 慨 deep emotion
• 愉 pleasure
• 煩 bother

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

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