画 means “painting, picture”

が · ga

Also: brush-stroke

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

えがく, かくする, かぎる, はかりごと, はかる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ガ, カク, エ, カイ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 8 strokes

The story

A brush drawing a field (田) within a frame: 画 captures the act of creating images. Japanese painting traditions span from ink wash 水墨画 (suibokuga) to ukiyo-e woodblock prints that stunned Impressionist masters like Monet and Van Gogh.

Used in 映画 (eiga, movie/film), 漫画 (manga, comics), and 絵画 (kaiga, painting)

More from Music & Arts

• 彫 carve
• 詩 poetry
• 拍 rhythm
• 弦 string (instrument)
• 笛 flute
• 鼓 drum
• 音 sound
• 曲 melody
• 唱 chant
• 演 perform
• 芸 art
• 美 beauty

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

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