Onyomi: コウ · Kunyomi: かんが.え, かんが.える · Meanings: consider, think over
Kanji for consider, think over
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The kanji 考 combines the “elder” radical (老 without bottom) with a component representing a head, symbolizing wisdom and thoughtful consideration. In ancient times, it represented an elder thinking carefully. 考 came to mean think, consider, or reflect, capturing thought, intelligence, and deliberation.
An elder thinking — 考 means to think, consider, or reflect.
Imagine an elder carefully pondering an important matter — that’s 考, the kanji for thinking and consideration.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 考 | こう | thought | Noun |
| 考える | かんがえる | to think (about, of), to think over, to ponder, to contemplate, to reflect (on), to meditate (on) | common JLPT-N4 Ichidan verb, Transitive verb |
| 考え | かんがえ | thinking, thought, view, opinion, concept | common JLPT-N3 Noun |
| 考慮 | こうりょ | consideration, taking into account | common JLPT-N3 Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |
| 考え方 | かんがえかた | way of thinking, point of view, opinion, approach (e.g. to a problem), attitude | common Noun |
| 考察 | こうさつ | consideration, inquiry, enquiry, investigation, study | common Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |
| 考古学 | こうこがく | archaeology, archeology | common JLPT-N1 Noun, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 考え直す | かんがえなおす | to reconsider, to rethink, to reassess | common Godan verb with 'su' ending, Transitive verb |
| 考えてみれば | かんがえてみれば | if you think about it, come to think of it | common Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.) |
| 考え出す | かんがえだす | to think out, to devise, to invent, to begin to think, to come up with a plan | Godan verb with 'su' ending, Transitive verb |