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Kanai 家内 – Japanese surname
Kanai (家内) is read かない and has 3 syllables. It is a family name. Written as 家内, the characters mean: house + inside. This reading can be written with at least 8 different kanji combinations (the 6 most common are shown below), with 12 to 16 strokes in total.
How to write Kanai in Japanese
| Kanji | Reading | Literal meaning | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 家内 | かない | house + inside | 14 |
| 金井 | かない | gold + well | 12 |
| 金居 | かない | gold + reside | 16 |
| 金尾 | かない | gold + tail | 15 |
| 鹿内 | かない | deer + inside | 15 |
| 兼井 | かない | concurrently + well | 14 |
Meanings are literal translations of each kanji. Names are often chosen for sound, so the intended meaning can differ.
The kanji in Kanai
Kanai in different scripts
| Romaji | Kanai |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | かない |
| Katakana | カナイ |
| Kanji (most common) | 家内 |
Full name examples
- Ayumi Kanai (Japanese order: 家内歩美, かない あゆみ)
- Yurina Kanai (Japanese order: 家内百合奈, かない ゆりな)
- Yuki Kanai (Japanese order: 家内結城, かない ゆうき)
How to pronounce Kanai
Break it into 2 parts: ka · nai. Japanese has no stressed syllables like English, so say each part with the same length and the same weight. The 3 sound units are written かない.
Questions about Kanai
What does Kanai mean in Japanese?
Kanai has no single fixed meaning: it depends on the kanji. The most common spelling, 家内, combines these meanings: house + inside. Other spellings include 金井 (gold + well), 金居 (gold + reside), 金尾 (gold + tail).
How do you write Kanai in kanji?
The most common way is 家内 (かない). It can also be written 金井, 金居, 金尾, 鹿内, 兼井.
How do you write Kanai in katakana?
Kanai is カナイ in katakana and かない in hiragana.
How do you pronounce Kanai?
Kanai is read かない and has 3 syllables (morae).
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Other surnames that use 家
家: house, home, family
Names with a similar sound
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Name data: JMnedict and KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Filtered, regrouped and annotated by NihonNames.