弧
ko[ko̞]
The English word "arc" is translated into Japanese as 弧 (ko).
The term 弧 can be used to refer to an arc, particularly a segment of a circle. In technical or scientific settings, the term アーク is a common way to say arc.
Meaning: curve (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
ko
Did you know?
- The term アーク is used in Japanese pop culture to describe a 'story arc' in a series, directly importing the narrative meaning from English.
- The kanji 弧 is a homophone for the word 孤, which means 'orphan' or 'lonely'. While they look similar and share a root, they are used in entirely different contexts.
- The character 弧 is structurally composed of the radical for 'bow' (弓), reflecting its ancient origin of describing the curved shape of a weapon.
Examples in context
- きれいな弧を描いている。Kirei na ko o egaite iru.It is drawing a beautiful arc.
- 虹が大きな弧を作っています。Niji ga ookina ko o tsukutte imasu.The rainbow is making a large arc.
- この弧の長さを測ってください。Kono ko no nagasa o hakatte kudasai.Please measure the length of this arc.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are studying geometry together.
- 結衣 Yui健太君、この弧の長さはどうやって測るの？Kenta-kun, kono ko no nagasa wa dou yatte hakaru no?Kenta, how do you measure the length of this arc?
- 健太 Kenta半径と角度を使って計算するんだよ。hankei to kakudo o tsukatte keisan suru n da yo.You calculate it using the radius and the angle.
- 結衣 Yuiなるほど、弧の計算は難しいね。naruhodo, ko no keisan wa muzukashii ne.I see, calculating the arc is difficult.
- 健太 Kenta一緒に練習すればすぐに分かるよ。issho ni renshuu sureba sugu ni wakaru yo.You'll understand soon if we practice together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arc” translations and entries 弧, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
