Readings: ジャク (Onyomi), よわ, よわ.い, よわ.る (Kunyomi)
Meaning: weak, frail, young, to lose, to get weak
The kanji 弱 is composed of the radical 弓 (yumi, bow) and the phonetic component 吁 (suggesting a small, weak breath or sound). Together, they visually represent something small and lacking strength, like a bow that is too weak to be drawn effectively.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 弱 is written with 7 strokes. It starts with the radical 弓 (bow) on the left, followed by the phonetic component on the right. The strokes are generally written from top to bottom and left to right.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 弓 (bow) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 7 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | 4 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- 弱 (ジャク)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- 弱 (よわ)
- 弱い (よわい)
- 弱る (よわ.る)
Common Words Using 弱
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 弱点 | ジャクテン | weak point, weakness |
| 弱者 | ジャクシャ | the weak, the weaker party |
| 軽弱 | ケイジャク | slight build, weak |
| 弱化 | ジャッカ | weakening, becoming weaker |
| 弱体 | ジャクタイ | weak body, feeble constitution |
| 微弱 | ビジャク | faint, feeble, weak |
| 弱肉強鮮 | ジャクリクニクセン | the weak are meat to the strong (idiom) |
| 弱小 | ジャクショウ | small and weak, tiny |
| 強弱 | キョウジャク | strength and weakness, relative intensity |
| 弱毒 | ジャクドク | attenuated virus/bacteria, avirulent |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 弱い | よわい | weak, frail |
| 弱る | よわ.る | to weaken, to become weak |
| 弱まる | よわ.まる | to weaken, to subside |
| 弱める | よわ.める | to weaken, to dampen |
| 弱々しい | よわよわしい | feeble, weak, sickly |
| 弱音 | よわね | words of weakness, complaining |
| 弱気 | よわき | timid, faint-hearted, weak |
| 弱腰 | よわごし | weak stance, yielding attitude |
| 弱小国 | じゃくしょくこく | small and weak country |
| 弱体化 | じゃくたいか | weakening |
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