賀

音読おんよみ:

訓読くんよみ: none *

画数かくすう: 12 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 貝(こがい)

Meaning

Congratulations, celebration, or joyful greetings. Often seen in formal words.


  • 年賀状ねんがじょう — New Year’s card
  • 祝賀会しゅくがかい — celebration party
  • 賀詞がし — congratulatory words
  • 賀正がしょう — New Year's greeting (formal)
  • 参賀さんが — imperial New Year's visit
  • 来賀らいが — paying a celebratory visit

“賀” includes the radical 貝 (shell/money), indicating value, and phonetic 加. It suggests offering something valuable with joy, such as words or gifts of celebration. It appears mostly in set phrases and formal writing.

年賀状ねんがじょうおくりました。
I sent a New Year’s card.

賀詞がしべる機会きかいました。
I had the chance to express congratulatory words.

The on-yomi ガ is used in all words featuring 賀. You’ll rarely see this character used alone in modern writing, but it's essential in formal or ceremonial expressions.

◀︎ Full List ▶︎