# 控 — hold back; note down

控 means “hold back; note down”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 11 strokes. On'yomi: コウ (kou). Kun'yomi: ひか(える) (hikaeru). You'll see it in words such as 控える (hikaeru, “to be temperate in; to refrain”).

- Meaning: hold back; note down
- On'yomi: コウ (kou)
- Kun'yomi: ひか(える) (hikaeru)
- Strokes: 11
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Doing & acting 2

## How to remember 控

Parts: 扌 hand · 空 sky

## Words with 控

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 控える | ひかえる (hikaeru) | to be temperate in; to refrain |
| 控え | ひかえ (hikae) | reserve; spare |
| 控えめ | ひかえめ (hikaeme) | moderate; reserved |

## Don't confuse it with

[空](https://moji.ninja/n5-kanji/sky/) · [搾](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/press-out/) · [突](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/thrust/)

## More in the “Doing & acting 2” set

[促](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/urge/) · [控](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/hold-back/) · [隠](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/hide/) · [索](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/look-up/) · [励](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/encourage/) · [耐](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/endure/) · [克](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/overcome/) · [遂](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/carry-through/) · [奨](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/urge-on/)

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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/hold-back/. Last updated 2026-11-01.