Explore 荒 in words for rough conditions and damaged or wild places. Learn each reading with its whole word.

The idea

荒 has 9 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 荒れる（あれる） describes a place or weather becoming rough or neglected; 荒らす（あらす） means someone damages or ransacks something. 荒い（あらい） describes a rough quality, while 荒野（こうや） means wilderness.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingMeaning
荒れるあれるbecome rough or neglected
荒いあらいrough; ragged
荒らすあらすdamage; ransack
荒野こうやwilderness

Examples

  • 今日きょうは海うみが荒あれています。The sea is rough today.
  • 留守るすの間あいだに庭にわが荒あれました。The garden became overgrown while no one was there.
  • 風かぜが強つよくなり、天気てんきが荒あれました。The wind grew stronger and the weather turned stormy.
  • 走はしった後あと、彼かれの息いきは荒あらかったです。His breathing was ragged after running.
  • 誰だれかが図書館としょかんを荒あらしました。Someone vandalized the library.
  • 荒野こうやを一本いっぽんの道みちが通とおっています。A road runs across the wilderness.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not confuse the intransitive 荒れる with the transitive 荒らす: 庭が荒れる describes the garden’s state, while 人が庭を荒らす names the person damaging it.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 荒い in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    あらい

    荒い is あらい: 息が荒い describes heavy, ragged breathing.

  2. Write the reading of 荒野 in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    こうや

    荒野 is こうや, a wilderness; learn the compound with its reading.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 彼は部屋を＿らした。［荒／近］

    Show answer or example answer

    荒

    荒 completes 荒らした, the past of 荒らす: he damaged or ransacked the room.

Use it today

Write 荒 following the diagram. Cover the table, read 荒い and 荒野, then describe rough weather or a neglected place in Japanese.