About this Draft
This page is part of the early access version of The Kanji Speedrun. The essentials—kanji meanings and mnemonics—are already in place and usable, but nearly every part of the page is still being polished. Some entries may contain mistakes, but please rest assured we are working hard to make revisions.
We’re sharing these drafts now so you can keep learning while we polish the full experience. If you notice something off, please don’t hesitate to let me know—it’s a huge help in improving the course!
羽
WING ・ FEATHER
Mnemonic
Earlier, in the simplified form
— shown on the grapheme page — we saw two wings tucked in tightly.
Here, it’s drawn with a bit more detail: each side still shows a WING, but now with FEATHERS that fan out, as if a bird had just finished ruffling them.
Example Vocabulary
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羽（はね） – feather, plume
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羽をたたむ（はねをたたむ） – to fold one’s wings
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一羽（いちわ） – one (bird)
Click to recall: 一 = -
白羽（しらは） – white feather
Click to recall: 白 = -
大羽（おおばね） – quill feather
Click to recall: 大 =
The World of Feathers
The word 羽 appears in many ways: a single 羽 drifting down, 羽をたたむ when birds fold their wings, and 白羽 for a bright white feather. It also works as a counter for birds — one bird is 一羽. You’ll even find 大羽, the strong quill feathers that give flight its lift. All of these images tie back to the form of 羽.
Example Sentences
- 小さい羽を見つけました。– I found a small feather.
- とりは羽をたたみます。– Birds fold their wings.