沖
offshore
Kanji 1583
Thank you for visiting this Character Home Page. Below you'll find a synopsis of the essay. If you wish to read the full text, the PDF of the essay is available for purchase to the right.
This kanji brings us into fascinating realms, including an island so sacred that women are forbidden to enter, offshore earthquakes that cause tsunamis, and World War II battles that the Japanese still analyze for their lessons about failure. Above all, studying 沖 takes us to Okinawa, whose distinctive culture bears the influences of surrounding nations. As such, it is the birthplace of karate!
Revision history:
Oct. 31, 2024:
- p. 9: Revised the comments about 大震災 because the original text called it an abbreviation for a longer term when in fact it's an autonomous word. I also adjusted its definition.
- p. 10: Changed the definitions of "Ryukyu Islands" and "Satsunan Islands" to match what dictionaries say, rather than what two Wikipedia articles indicate.
May 9, 2024: p. 2: Deleted an extraneous word.
Dec. 12, 2023: p. 6: Gave 網 a more specific definition (net to catch fish).
Jan. 23, 2020:
- p. 2: Etymology Box: Replaced the old Henshall etymology with the new one.
- p. 19: Added a link to the Kanshudo games.
Feb. 16, 2018: Originally published.
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