郎 means “son, young man”

ろう · rou

Also: counter for sons

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おとこ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ロウ, リョウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

A good man (a form of 良) from the village (阝): picture the lad everyone vouches for. 郎 ends classic boys' names, 一郎 and 次郎 for first and second sons, the groom at a wedding is the 新郎, and 野郎 is a rough word for a guy.

Used in 新郎 (shinrou, bridegroom), 太郎 (tarou, Taro, a classic boy's name), and 野郎 (yarou, guy/jerk)

More from Kin & Cradle

• 継 inherit
• 誕 birth
• 妊 pregnant
• 稚 young
• 嫁 bride
• 娠 pregnancy
• 胎 womb
• 叔 uncle
• 姻 marriage
• 婿 son-in-law
• 嫡 legitimate heir
• 嗣 heir

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

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