香(こう)

こう
noun
incense; fragrance
1. incense
A substance that produces a pleasant aroma when burned, used in religious ceremonies, meditation, and traditional Japanese culture.
香(こう)を焚(た)く。
To burn incense.
仏壇(ぶつだん)の前(まえ)で香(こう)を焚(た)いた。
I burned incense in front of the Buddhist altar.
寺(てら)に入(はい)ると、香(こう)の煙(けむり)がゆっくりと漂(ただよ)っていた。
When I entered the temple, incense smoke was slowly drifting through the air.
2. fragrance; scent; aroma
A pleasant smell, especially from natural sources such as flowers, herbs, or wood.
花(はな)の香(こう)がする。
There is a floral fragrance.
白檀(びゃくだん)の香(こう)が部屋(へや)に広(ひろ)がった。
The fragrance of sandalwood spread through the room.
梅(うめ)の香(こう)に誘(さそ)われて、庭(にわ)に出(で)た。
Drawn by the scent of plum blossoms, I went out into the garden.

Usage

Sense 1 refers to the physical incense product and the act of burning it. Sense 2 is a literary or refined way to refer to pleasant scents, especially from nature. In everyday conversation, 匂(にお)い or 香(かお)り is more common for general smells and fragrances.

Cultural note

香道(こうどう) (the way of incense) is one of the three classical Japanese arts of refinement, alongside 茶道(さどう) (tea ceremony) and 華道(かどう) (flower arrangement).

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 香(かお)り: fragrance, aroma — the more common everyday word for pleasant scents
  • 匂(にお)い: smell, scent — neutral term for any smell, pleasant or not

Related Words

Related: 香(かお)り (fragrance (everyday))
Related: 匂(にお)い (smell (neutral))
general
Added 2026.3.17 14:56 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
17000/17307_kou