Japanese Kanji

kei

open · begin · commence

Extended kanji · 7 strokes

Readings

  • ONケイkei
  • KUNひら.くhira

Meaning

Open, begin, commence, explain.

启 is a Extended kanji — used in Japanese personal names and specialised writing. With 7 strokes, it appears in classical literature, place names, and formal documents.

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Start with hiragana and katakana — the foundation of Japanese reading.