Readings: ヘン (Onyomi), かわ.る, か.える (Kunyomi)
Meaning: Strange, unusual, change, accident, disorder
The kanji 変 is composed of 糸 (ito: thread, silk) and 亦 (eki/yaku: also, indeed, again). The combination suggests changes or transformations, possibly referring to the intertwining and changing patterns of threads, symbolizing alteration.
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 変 has 9 strokes. It starts with the top radical, then the middle horizontal, followed by the left vertical, and finishing with the bottom components. For a visual guide, please refer to typical Japanese kanji stroke order resources.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 夂 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | 5 (Kyōiku Kanji) |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ヘン (hen)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- かわ.る (kawaru)
- か.える (kaeru)
Common Words Using 変
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 変化 | へんか | change, alteration |
| 変更 | へんこう | change, modification |
| 変 | へん | strange, weird, unusual |
| 大変 | たいへん | very, awful, difficult |
| 変革 | へんかく | reform, innovation |
| 変人 | へんじん | eccentric person, oddball |
| 変形 | へんけい | transformation, deformation |
| 変質 | へんしつ | alteration of quality, deterioration |
| 変動 | へんどう | fluctuation, variation |
| 異変 | いへん | unusual phenomenon, incident |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 変わる | かわる | to change, to be transformed (intransitive) |
| 変える | かえる | to change, to alter (transitive) |
| 変わり者 | かわりもの | eccentric person, oddball |
| 変わった | かわった | strange, unusual (adjective) |
| 着替える | きがえる | to change clothes |
| 入れ替わる | いれかわる | to take the place of, to be replaced (intransitive) |
| 入れ替える | いれかえる | to replace, to exchange (transitive) |
| 取り替える | とりかえる | to exchange, to replace (transitive) |
| 差し替える | さしかえる | to substitute, to replace (transitive) |
| 付け替える | つけかえる | to replace, to reattach (transitive) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 天気
Kana: てんき
Romaji: tenki ga kawatta.
English: The weather changed.
Japanese: 彼
Kana: かれ
Romaji: kare wa hen na hito da.
English: He is a strange person.
Japanese: 予定
Kana: よてい
Romaji: yotei o kaemashita.
English: I changed the schedule.
Japanese: これ
Kana: これ
Romaji: kore wa taihen na shigoto desu.
English: This is a very difficult job.
Japanese: 世界
Kana: せかい
Romaji: sekai wa itsumo henka shite iru.
English: The world is always changing.
Japanese: 服
Kana: ふく
Romaji: fuku o kigaemashō.
English: Let’s change clothes.
Japanese: 部屋
Kana: へや
Romaji: heya no moyōgae o shimashita.
English: I rearranged the room (changed the room’s decor).
Japanese: 彼
Kana: かれ
Romaji: kare no taido ga totsuzen kawatta.
English: His attitude suddenly changed.
Japanese: この計画
Kana: このけいかく
Romaji: kono keikaku ni henkō ga arimasu.
English: There are some changes to this plan.
Japanese: そんな変な話
Kana: そんなへんなはなし
Romaji: sonna hen na hanashi wa shinjirarenai.
English: I can’t believe such a strange story.
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