裸

• Reading: はだか
• Romaji: hadaka
• Kanji breakdown: 裸 (ra/hadaka) — naked, bare
• Pronunciation: /ha.da.ka/

Meaning

Naked; nude; bare; unclothed state.

A noun and no-adjective meaning naked or bare. Used literally for the unclothed body and figuratively for exposed or unadorned states. Common expressions: 裸足 (hadashi, barefoot), 裸眼 (ragan, naked eye), 裸一貫 (hadaka ikkan, starting from nothing). Japanese bathing culture (温泉, 銭湯) normalises communal nudity, and the 裸祭り (hadaka matsuri, naked festival) is a famous traditional event in several regions.

Examples

1. 温泉では裸で入るのがマナーだ。 At hot springs, it's proper etiquette to bathe naked.
2. 子供たちが裸足で公園を走り回っていた。 The children were running around the park barefoot.
3. 彼は裸一貫から会社を作り上げた。 He built his company from nothing.

Usage Guide

Context: bathing culture, figurative expression, festivals

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 裸 combines 衤 (clothing radical) and 果 (fruit/bare), suggesting the state of being without clothing — exposed like a fruit stripped of its covering.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal