王
おう · ou · JLPT N3 · noun
king
👑 Three strokes for heaven, people and earth, joined by one line: the king
The traditional reading of 王 is that the three horizontal strokes stand for heaven, humanity and earth. The vertical stroke joining them is the ruler who links all three. It is read おう (ou), like the 'oh' a crowd calls out when the king arrives.
王 — three horizontal strokes 三 + one vertical stroke connecting heaven, earth, and humanity
Originally a pictograph of a large ceremonial axe, a symbol of royal authority in ancient China. The three horizontal lines were later reinterpreted philosophically as heaven, earth, and humanity, with the king as the one who unites them. The meaning shifted from 'axe' to 'king' or 'ruler'.