Meaning & readings

departure, discharge, publish, emit, start from, disclose, counter for gunshots

On’yomi ハツ、ホツ
Kun’yomi た.つ、あば.く、おこ.る、つか.わす、はな.つ
Nanori ば、わ

Origin

This character appears to show a foot or leg (the lower part) combined with a sprouting plant or hair standing up (the upper part). The image captures the idea of something bursting forth or emerging outward — like a plant shooting up from the ground or hair standing on end. Over time, this visual of explosive outward movement became associated with the broader concept of "departure" or "emission," since both involve something starting and moving away. The character essentially pictures energy or force being released and sent out into the world.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Pictographic or simple.

9 strokes

Components

This character is treated as a single, undivided shape (発).

  • meaning part

Common words

  • 一発 いっぱつ one shot; one charge
  • 開発 かいはつ development; cultivation
  • 活発 かっぱつ lively; active
  • 揮発 きはつ volatilization; volatilisation
  • 偶発 ぐうはつ sudden outbreak; accidental
  • 啓発 けいはつ enlightenment; development
  • 原発 げんぱつ nuclear power plant; nuclear power generation
  • 後発 こうはつ starting late; late departure

Reference

Strokes
9
Kangxi radical
105
Grade
Grade 3 (Kyōiku)
Frequency rank
#32 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 3
Unicode
U+0767A