翁 means “venerable old man”

おきな · okina

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おきな

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

オウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 10 strokes

The story

Public (公) over feathers (羽): the Shuowen says 翁 once meant the feathers on a bird's neck, and it came to name an honored elder. The bamboo cutter who finds Kaguya-hime is 竹取の翁, and 翁 is also a sacred Noh piece played at New Year.

Used in 翁 (okina, venerable old man), 老翁 (rouou, old man), and 竹取の翁 (taketori no okina, the old bamboo cutter)

More from Who's Who

• 某 a certain
• 婆 old woman
• 侶 companion
• 我 I
• 己 self
• 僕 I (male)
• 輩 fellows
• 紳 gentleman
• 奴 guy
• 誰 who
• 俺 I (male, casual)
• 嬢 young lady

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