拉

to abduct; pull; crush; ラ sound

Kanji 2128

Find out all about the bizarre "abduction issue" in Japan, a mystery that has persisted for decades. Delve into questions about the origins of ramen and various ways of representing that word. Discover a manga character inspired by noodles! Learn to use 拉 to indicate that you've been crushed by misfortune or weighed down by worries. And see how such random meanings all connect to 拉.

Revision history:

Dec. 14, 2019: 

• p. 2: Etymology Box: Added a Henshall etymology. 
• p. 8: Fixed broken links and slightly reworded the passages about the origin of ramen and the invention of instant ramen.
• p. 12: Added a link to the Kanshudo games.

June 10, 2016: Originally published.