Readings: カン (Onyomi), あせ (Kunyomi)
Meaning: sweat
The kanji 汗 is a phono-semantic compound. The left radical 氵 (sanzui) signifies “water,” indicating the meaning. The right component 干 (kan) primarily serves as a phonetic element, though it can also conceptually link to water being expelled or drying.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 汗 has 6 strokes. Begin with the three strokes of the water radical (氵) on the left: first a short vertical stroke, then a diagonal hook, and finally a short diagonal stroke. For the right component (干), draw the horizontal line, followed by the vertical line that crosses it, and then the final horizontal line at the bottom.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 氵 (水) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 6 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | N/A (Learned in secondary school context, not a specific grade) |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- 汗 (Kan)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- 汗 (ase)
Common Words Using 汗
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 発汗 | はっかん | sweating, perspiration |
| 冷汗 | れいかん | cold sweat |
| 汗腺 | かんせん | sweat gland |
| 多汗症 | たかんしょう | hyperhidrosis |
| 血汗 | けっかん | blood and sweat; arduous effort |
| 香汗 | こうかん | fragrant sweat (literary) |
| 盗汗 | とうかん | night sweats (medical) |
| 発汗作用 | はっかんさよう | perspiration action/effect |
| 温熱性発汗 | おんねつせいはっかん | thermal sweating |
| 味覚性発汗 | みかくせいはっかん | gustatory sweating |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 汗 | あせ | sweat |
| 汗をかく | あせをかく | to sweat |
| 汗水 | あせみず | sweat and tears, hard labor |
| 汗ばむ | あせばむ | to be sweaty, to perspire slightly |
| 汗っかき | あせっかき | a person who sweats a lot |
| 寝汗 | ねあせ | night sweats |
| 手汗 | てあせ | sweaty palms |
| 冷や汗 | ひやあせ | cold sweat |
| 脂汗 | あぶらあせ | greasy sweat |
| 汗だく | あせだく | drenched in sweat |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 夏は汗をたくさんかきます。
Kana: なつはあせをたくさんかきます。
Romaji: Natsu wa ase o takusan kakimasu.
English: In summer, I sweat a lot.
Japanese: 運動の後はいつも汗だくになります。
Kana: うんどうのあとはいつもあせだくになります。
Romaji: Undō no ato wa itsumo asedaku ni narimasu.
English: I’m always drenched in sweat after exercising.
Japanese: 彼は緊張して冷や汗をかいた。
Kana: かれはきんちょうしてひやあせをかいた。
Romaji: Kare wa kinchō shite hiyaase o kaita.
English: He broke out in a cold sweat from nervousness.
Japanese: タオルで汗を拭いた。
Kana: タオルであせをふいた。
Romaji: Taoru de ase o fuita.
English: I wiped off the sweat with a towel.
Japanese: 熱いお茶を飲んだら、急に汗が出てきた。
Kana: あついおちゃをのんだら、きゅうにあせがでてきた。
Romaji: Atsui ocha o nondara, kyū ni ase ga dete kita.
English: When I drank hot tea, I suddenly started sweating.
Japanese: この仕事は汗水垂らして働かないと終わらない。
Kana: このしごとはあせみずたらしてはたらかないとおわらない。
Romaji: Kono shigoto wa asemizu tarashite hatarakanai to owaranai.
English: This job won’t be finished unless you work with blood, sweat, and tears.
Japanese: 彼の額には一筋の汗が流れていた。
Kana: かれのひたいにはひとすじのあせがながれていた。
Romaji: Kare no hitai ni wa hitosuji no ase ga nagarete ita.
English: A single bead of sweat ran down his forehead.
Japanese: 汗疹ができたので、かゆくてたまらない。
Kana: あせもができたので、かゆくてたまらない。
Romaji: Asemo ga dekita node, kayukute tamaranai.
English: I got a heat rash, so it’s unbearably itchy.
Japanese: 緊張すると手汗をかくタイプです。
Kana: きんちょうするとてあせをかくタイプです。
Romaji: Kinchō suru to tease o kaku taipu desu.
English: I’m the type who gets sweaty palms when nervous.
Japanese: 発汗作用のある食べ物を食べた。
Kana: はっかんさようのあるたべものをたべた。
Romaji: Hakkan sayō no aru tabemono o tabeta.
English: I ate food that has a sweating effect.
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