法 means “law, method”
ほう · hou
Also: rule, principle
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- のり
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- ホウ, ハッ, ホッ, フラン
Taught in grade 4 · 8 strokes
The story
Water (氵) flowing in a set direction (去): law is like a river that guides society along its course. Japanese 法律 shaped a nation that transformed from feudal domains to a modern democracy in a single generation.
Used in 方法 (houhou, method) and 法律 (houritsu, law)
More from Society & Government
- 政 politics
- 民 people
- 族 tribe
- 都 capital
- 市 city
- 町 town
- 村 village
- 会 meeting
- 社 company
- 官 government official
- 軍 army
- 公 public
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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.