The Meaning of ganjou [頑丈] In Japanese

頑丈
がんじょう
Romaji: ganjou N3

What does 頑丈 mean?

Translation and Meaning

sturdy, robust, durable

Definition

頑丈 means sturdy, robust, or durable; it describes something with strong construction or resilience, capable of withstanding stress or impact, and is commonly used for objects like tools, buildings, or machinery, as well as describing a physically strong person in certain contexts.

Type

na-adjective (形容動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Sturdy physical durability: describes objects that resist damage and wear.
  • High structural integrity: used for architecture, equipment, and components designed to be solid.
  • Figurative robustness: can refer to a person’s constitution or unwavering resolve in some contexts.

Etymology

頑 (stubborn, firm) and 丈 (height, length) combine to form the compound; the reading ganjou reflects the Sino-Japanese on’yomi; the sense of solidity emerges from the semantic fields of the two characters.

Origin

Borrowed from Sino-Japanese sources; attested in classical Chinese as a compound and integrated into Japanese, becoming common in modern usage.

Composition

  • 頑: stubborn, firm; conveys unyielding resistance
  • 丈: height, length; conveys build or stature and reinforces solidity

Usage

Used to describe tangible things with solid construction or resilience, typically appearing as 頑丈なX; common in formal and technical writing, product specifications, and everyday speech when emphasizing durability; less appropriate for abstract traits unless using a different term like 堅牢 or 強固; examples of usage include 頑丈な箱, 頑丈な車, 頑丈に作る.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: Imagine a granite pillar that won’t bend; ganjou combines stubbornness (頑) with height/strength (丈) to signal something built to stand up to pressure.

Variations

  • 堅牢 (kenrō) — solid, secure
  • 丈夫 (jōbu) — sturdy
  • 頑強 (gankyō) — staunch, robust
  • 脆弱 (zeijaku) — fragile, weak

Words with the same Kanji

Example Phrases

  • この 箱は 頑丈 で 長く 使える ように 作られている。
    kono hako wa ganjou de nagaku tsukaeru you ni tsukurarete iru.
    This box is sturdy and built to last.
    Lista:
    • この (kono) – this
    • 箱は (hako wa) – the box
    • 頑丈 (ganjou) – sturdy
    • で (de) – and/with
    • 長く (nagaku) – long
    • 使える (tsukaeru) – usable
    • ように (you ni) – to / in order to / so that
    • 作られている。 (tsukurarete iru) – is made / is being made
    Core grammar: 「頑丈」 is a na-adjective; in this sentence it is connected to the following predicate with で, as in 「頑丈 で 長く使える」.
頑丈