# 弦 — bowstring; chord

弦 means “bowstring; chord”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 8 strokes. On'yomi: ゲン (gen). Kun'yomi: つる (tsuru). You'll see it in words such as 弦 (tsuru, “bowstring”).

- Meaning: bowstring; chord
- On'yomi: ゲン (gen)
- Kun'yomi: つる (tsuru)
- Strokes: 8
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Arts & pastimes 3

## How to remember 弦

Sounds like 玄: both read ゲン.

Parts: 弓 bow · 玄 mysterious

## Words with 弦

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 弦 | つる (tsuru) | bowstring |

## Don't confuse it with

[玄](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/mysterious/) · [畜](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/livestock/) · [舷](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/side-of-a-ship/) · [率](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/rate/)

## More in the “Arts & pastimes 3” set

[弦](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/bowstring/) · [鼓](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/drum/) · [娯](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/amusement/) · [戯](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/frolic/) · [譜](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/musical-score/) · [笛](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/flute/) · [吟](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/intone/) · [賭](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/gamble/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/bowstring/. Last updated 2026-11-01.