剛 [刚] gāng
adverb
: hard; firm; strong; rigid
: just; barely; exactly
Kun Reading
none applicable
強い | つよい tsuyoi
adjective
: strong; powerful; mighty; potent
: resistant; resilient; durable
強い | こわい kowai
adjective
: tough; stiff; hard
: inflexible; obstinate; stubborn
On Reading
剛 | ごう gou
noun
: strong; hard; manly
剛[刚]才 gang1cai2: just now; a moment ago
剛剛 [刚刚] gang1gang: just recently; just a moment ago
剛[刚]好 gang1hao3: just; exactly; to happen to be
剛[刚]強 gang1qiang2: firm; unyielding [剛強 | ごうきょう goukyou: strength; firmness]
剛[刚]果 gang1guo3: Congo
[剛果 | ごうか gouda: valor and decisiveness]
金剛[刚] jin1’gang1: vajra; diamond; hard metal; pupa of certain insects; Vajrapani, Buddha’s warrior attendant; King Kong
[金剛 | こんごう kongou: vajra (indestructible substance); diamond; adamantine
: thunderbolt; Indra’s weapon; Buddhist symbol of the indestructible truth]
金剛石 [金刚石] jin1 gang1 shi2: diamond; also called 鑽石|钻石 zuan4 shi2
[金剛石 | こんごうせき kongouseki: diamond]
陽剛 [阳刚] yang2gang1: manly; masculine
Japanese common word | expression | yojijukugo 四字熟語
剛毅果断 | ごうきかだん gouki kadan
: (yoji) dauntless and decisive; with fortitude and resolution
*外剛内柔 | がいごうないじゅう gaigou naijuu
: (yoji) being tough on the outside but soft at heart; a faint-hearted person pretending to be brave
外柔内剛 | がいじゅうないごう gaijuu naigou
: (yoji) gentle but firm
内剛外柔 | ないごうがいじゅう naigou gaijuu
: (yoji) gentle on the outside but tough on the inside; an iron hand in a velvet glove
内柔外剛 | ないじゅうがいごう naijuu gaigou
: (yoji) tough on the outside but soft at heart
質実剛健 | しつじつごうけん shitsujitsu gouken
: (yoji) unaffected and sincere, with fortitude and vigor
金剛不壊 | こんごうふえ kongoufue
: (yoji) firm and solid; sturdy and indestructible; unshakable; adamantine
Chinese expression | chengyu 成語 | idiom
剛正不阿 [刚正不阿] gang1 zheng4 bu4 e1
: upright and plainspoken
剛毅木訥 [刚毅木讷] gang1 yi4 mu4 ne4
: resolute and taciturn
剛柔並濟 [刚柔并济] gang1 rou2 bing4 ji4
: to couple strength and gentleness
剛愎自用 [刚愎自用] gang1 bi4 zi4 yong4
: obstinate and self-opinionated
以柔克剛 [以柔克刚] yi3 rou2 ke4 gang1
: to use softness to conquer strength
*外剛內柔 [外刚内柔] wai4 gang1 nei4 rou2
: soft on the inside despite one’s hard shell; appearing tough on the outside as to mask one’s inner vulnerability; also written 內柔外剛|内柔外刚 nei4 rou2 wai4 gang1
柔能克剛 [柔能克刚] rou2 neng2 ke4 gang1
: lit. the soft can subdue the hard
血氣方剛 [血气方刚] xue4 qi4 fang1 gang1
: full of sap; young and vigorous
金剛怒目 [金刚怒目] jin1 gang1 nu4 mu4
: to have a face as terrifying as a temple’s guardian deity
会意 Associative Compound.
Knife 刂 (dao1: knife radical 18) slicing through
net (mound) 岡 (gang1: ridge; mound).
形声 Pictophonetic.
刂 (dao1: knife radical 18) suggests the meaning while
岡 (gang1: ridge; mound) provides the sound.
簡體 Simplified.
刚. Derived from generic character simplification rule #34 (岡 » 冈).
Examples:
柔よく剛を制す。
じゅうよくごうをせいす shuuyoku gou o seisu
Soft words win hard hearts.
他剛到。
ta1 gang1 dao4
He just arrived.