Kanji: 蛍 (Firefly)
The kanji 蛍 means "firefly" or "lightning bug." It evokes images of natural, gentle light in the darkness, reminiscent of the soft glow of these insects.
Key Reading:
Kun-yomi (Japanese reading): ほたる (hotaru)
On-yomi (Sino-Japanese reading): ケイ (kei)
Common Words & Usage:
蛍 (hotaru) - Noun. A firefly.
蛍光灯 (keikōtō) - Noun. Fluorescent lamp (literally, "firefly-light lamp").
蛍雪 (keisetsu) - Noun. Studying diligently by poor light (alluding to ancient stories of studying by firefly light or snow-reflected moonlight).
Example Sentence:
Japanese: 夏の夜、川辺で蛍が美しく光っていた。
Romaji: Natsu no yoru, kawabe de hotaru ga utsukushiku hikatte ita.
English: On a summer night, fireflies were glowing beautifully by the riverside.
Learning the correct stroke order for kanji like 蛍 is essential for balanced, legible Japanese handwriting and is a fundamental part of mastering kanji writing.