拘: the kanji for arrest; adhere to

拘 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means arrest; adhere to. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.

arrest; adhere toMeaning

コウOn reading

—Kun reading

8Strokes

Stroke order

拘 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.

Words by reading

拘 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).

コウ (kou)

On reading.

Word	Meaning
拘束こうそく · kōsoku	restraint; binding
拘留こうりゅう · kōryū	detention
拘置所こうちしょ · kōchisho	detention house

Example sentences for work and daily life

仕事で長時間拘束された。Shigoto de chōjikan kōsoku sareta.I was tied up at work for a long time.
容疑者は拘置所に送られた。Yōgisha wa kōchisho ni okurareta.The suspect was sent to a detention house.
契約には法的な拘束力がある。Keiyaku ni wa hōteki na kōsokuryoku ga aru.The contract is legally binding.
男は警察に拘留された。Otoko wa keisatsu ni kōryū sareta.The man was detained by the police.
時間に拘束されない働き方をしたい。Jikan ni kōsoku sarenai hatarakikata o shitai.I want a way of working that isn't bound by time.

Questions about 拘

How many strokes does 拘 have?

拘 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.

What are the readings of 拘?

The on readings are kou (コウ). 拘 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.

What JLPT level is 拘?

N1. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.

About the JLPT level

The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.