The sound Kou can mean 工 (construction), 高 (high), 公 (public), 光 (light), and 交 (mix). A PDF dictionary groups these by radical. You see that "Kou" for construction (工) looks like a tool, while "Kou" for light (光) looks like a burning fire. Context becomes visual.

⚠️ : Always respect copyright. Many PDFs shared illegally on file-sharing sites are pirated copies of commercial books like "Kanji Dictionary 2500" published by Ask Publishing, KADOKAWA, or Tuttle. However, legitimate free or low-cost alternatives exist:

Foreigners often panic over multiple readings. A good dictionary prioritizes the most common reading first. Ideally, it should color-code or bold the reading used 80% of the time.

While specific recommendations depend on your current level and learning style, here are a few well-regarded resources:

: Radical information, stroke counts, and specific JLPT level icons. Digital and Purchase Options