[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BIUfE.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BIUfE.jpg)

Hopefully someone is able to let me know what this symbol means. I took a
guess that it might be Japanese, but please direct me elsewhere if it is not!
Thanks!
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symbols
Could someone please explain what this Japanese symbol means?
It is originally Chinese, but in Mandarin it has been simplified so it looks
different. The Japanese variant might however still be present in some parts
of the Chinese speaking world, such as Taiwan.

Anyway, from a Japanese perspective, it says 楽, pronounced raku, and means
"with ease" or "comfort". You can also add a suffix to the kanji creating the
word 楽しい, which is pronounced "tanoshii" and means "fun".

It is also used in various combinations with other characters to create other
words, such as 楽器, pronounced gakki. The second part means "tool", so a "tool
for fun" is how to say the word "musical instrument" in Japanese.
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I think that glossing 楽器 as "tool for fun" is a bit misleading. In Chinese the
character 楽 (old form 樂) represented both the word for "pleasure" and the word
for "music", which had different pronunciations. That's why in Japanese this
character is pronounced らく in words to do with pleasure , such as 行楽 (こうらく) ,
"a pleasure trip", and がく in words to do with music, such as 音楽 (おんがく),
"music". 楽器 (がっき)is literally a "music instrument".

In the Analects, Book 16 Section 5, Confucius is recorded as saying "There are
three things people take pleasure in that are beneficial and three things
people take pleasure in that are harmful. Taking pleasure in the
discriminating study of rituals and music, taking pleasure in talking about
the virtues of other people and taking pleasure in having many friends are
beneficial. Taking pleasure in extravagance, taking pleasure in idleness and
loafing about and taking pleasure in feasting are harmful." "Taking pleasure
in" is 楽 in all cases. "Music" is also 楽. "Taking pleasure in the
discriminating study of rituals and music" is: 楽節礼楽 - "take pleasure /
discriminate / ritual / music". There are other passages in the Confucian
Classics which make word-plays on the two meanings of this kanji.

English also has a word meaning both "pleasure" and "music": "glee", as in "he
hugged himself with glee" and "he joined the glee-club". The two things are
obviously connected: the purpose of music is to give pleasure.
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answer