興 means “interest, revive, rise”

きょう · kyou

Also: entertain, retrieve

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おこる, おこす

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コウ, キョウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 5 · 16 strokes

The story

Hands lifting on every side of 同, together: picture a crowd heaving a portable shrine onto their shoulders. 興 is rising up: 興味 is interest, 興奮 excitement, and 復興 is a region rebuilding after disaster.

Used in 興味 (kyoumi, interest), 興奮 (koufun, excitement), and 復興 (fukkou, reconstruction/revival)

More from Grow & Wane

• 縮 shrink
• 充 fill
• 隆 rise
• 茂 grow thick
• 繁 thriving
• 尽 run out
• 膨 swell
• 殖 multiply
• 騰 soar
• 衰 decline
• 累 accumulate
• 堆 pile

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

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