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Ishikawa 石川 – Japanese surname
Ishikawa (石川) is read いしかわ and has 4 syllables. It is a family name. Written as 石川, the characters mean: stone + stream. This reading can be written with 3 kanji combinations, with 8 to 27 strokes in total.
About the name Ishikawa
Ishikawa (石川) means stone river, a stream with a rocky bed. It is also the name of a prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast.
How to write Ishikawa in Japanese
| Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 石川 | いしかわ | stone + stream | 8 |
| 石河 | いしかわ | stone + river | 13 |
| 石嘉波 | いしかわ | stone + applaud + waves | 27 |
Meanings are literal translations of each kanji. Names are often chosen for sound, so the intended meaning can differ.
The kanji in Ishikawa
Ishikawa in different scripts
| Romaji | Ishikawa |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | いしかわ |
| Katakana | イシカワ |
| Kanji (most common) | 石川 |
Full name examples
- Ayumi Ishikawa (Japanese order: 石川歩美, いしかわ あゆみ)
- Yurina Ishikawa (Japanese order: 石川百合奈, いしかわ ゆりな)
- Yuki Ishikawa (Japanese order: 石川結城, いしかわ ゆうき)
How to pronounce Ishikawa
Break it into 4 parts: i · shi · ka · wa. Japanese has no stressed syllables like English, so say each part with the same length and the same weight. The 4 sound units are written いしかわ.
Questions about Ishikawa
What does Ishikawa mean in Japanese?
Ishikawa has no single fixed meaning: it depends on the kanji. The most common spelling, 石川, combines these meanings: stone + stream. Other spellings include 石河 (stone + river), 石嘉波 (stone + applaud + waves).
How do you write Ishikawa in kanji?
The most common way is 石川 (いしかわ). It can also be written 石河, 石嘉波.
How do you write Ishikawa in katakana?
Ishikawa is イシカワ in katakana and いしかわ in hiragana.
How do you pronounce Ishikawa?
Ishikawa is read いしかわ and has 4 syllables (morae).
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Themes: Nature
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石: stone
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Name data: JMnedict and KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Filtered, regrouped and annotated by NihonNames.