飛 means “fly”

とぶ · tobu

Also: skip (pages), scatter

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

とぶ, とばす

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヒ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 4 · 9 strokes

The story

A bird spreading its wings upward: the radical captures the motion of lifting off the ground. Japan's aviation history began with the 飛行船 (hikousen, airship) era, but today 飛行機 (hikouki, airplane) connects Japan's island chain. The crane (鶴) that flies across Japanese art symbolizes longevity and good fortune.

Used in 飛行機 (hikouki, airplane), 飛ぶ (tobu, to fly), and 飛躍 (hiyaku, leap/breakthrough)

More from Travel & Transport

• 乗 ride
• 通 pass through
• 運 carry
• 帰 return home
• 着 arrive
• 発 depart
• 進 advance
• 速 fast
• 遠 far
• 近 near
• 送 send
• 渡 cross over

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

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