柔

音読おんよみ: ジュウ

訓読くんよみ: やわらか・やわらかい

画数かくすう: 9

部首ぶしゅ: 木（き）

Meaning

Soft / Gentle / Flexible.

  • 柔やわらか — soft; tender
  • 柔やわらかい — gentle; flexible
  • 柔道じゅうどう — judo (the way of flexibility)
  • 柔和にゅうわ — gentleness; mildness
  • 柔軟じゅうなん — flexibility; adaptability
  • 優柔不断ゆうじゅうふだん — indecisiveness; wishy-washiness

柔 combines 木 “tree/wood” with the phonetic 矛 (weapon/spear). Originally, it depicted bending a weapon like a bow or spear — extending to the idea of softness, pliability, and gentleness.

和

Think of 柔和にゅうわ — the blend of 柔 “soft” with 和 “harmony.” It paints a picture of someone gentle and mild, whose softness creates peace. Notice how the on-yomi にゅう is rare, making this word stand out.

道
Forms

柔道じゅうどう — the martial art “judo,” literally “the way of flexibility.”

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