Ichidan verb, intransitive verb

  1. to respond, to answer, to meet (e.g. demands, expectations).
  2. to affect, to take a toll, to strike home, to have an effect on, to be hard on someone (e.g. heat, cold, work, illness, etc.), to be a strain. Sometimes 堪える.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
 
 
応える こたえる
 
 
報える こたえる
 
 
徹える こたえる

Contained Kanji Breakdown

apply, answer, yes
オウ こた.える -ノウ (5th, N1)
dotted cliff radical (no. 53)
ゲン (Kentei 1)
wild goose, trailing cliff radical (no. 27)
カン かりがね (Kentei 1)
heart, mind, spirit
こころ シン (2nd, N4)