広 means “wide, broad”

ひろい · hiroi

Also: spacious

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ひろい, ひろまる, ひろめる, ひろがる, ひろげる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コウ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 5 strokes

The story

A shelter (广) with a single bow-arm stroke inside: the openness under a broad roof. 広島 (Hiroshima) literally means "wide island," named for the delta plains where the city spread. In Japanese aesthetics, 広々 (hirobiro, spacious) describes the prized feeling of openness: gardens, rooms, and horizons that let the eye wander freely.

Used in 広島 (Hiroshima, wide island), 広場 (hiroba, plaza/square), and 広告 (koukoku, advertisement)

Words with 広

• 広場 (ひろば, hiroba): plaza / open square
• 広告 (こうこく, koukoku): advertisement

Example sentences

• 広い公園で遊びました。 We played in a wide park.
• 広場に人が集まっています。 People are gathering in the plaza.

More from Measurement & Size

• 狭 narrow
• 重 heavy
• 軽 light (weight)
• 深 deep
• 浅 shallow
• 厚 thick
• 薄 thin
• 低 low
• 遅 slow
• 量 quantity
• 測 measure
• 少 few

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