鐘

• Reading: かね
• Romaji: kane
• Kanji breakdown: 鐘 (kane/shou) — bell, chime, large bell
• Pronunciation: /ka.ne/

Meaning

Bell; chime. A large bell, especially those found at temples and churches.

A noun specifically referring to large bells that are struck from the outside, such as temple bells (お寺の鐘) and church bells. Distinguished from 鈴 (suzu — small jingle bell) and ベル (beru — doorbell, alarm). The sound of temple bells at New Year (除夜の鐘) is one of Japan's most iconic cultural traditions.

Examples

1. お寺の鐘の音が聞こえた。 I could hear the sound of the temple bell.
2. 大晦日に除夜の鐘を聞きに行く。 On New Year's Eve, I go to listen to the joya no kane bells.
3. 鐘が鳴って授業の時間になった。 The bell rang and it was time for class.

Usage Guide

Context: temples, New Year, culture

Tone: solemn

Origin & History

The kanji 鐘 combines 金 (metal) and 童 (child, here phonetic). It specifically refers to large metal bells, reflecting their construction from bronze or iron in both Buddhist and Shinto traditions.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal