Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 肌 (hada) – Skin, Body, Texture 肌 Readings: (Onyomi), はだ (Kunyomi) Meaning: skin, body, texture The kanji 肌 is formed from two components: 月 (niku-zuki), which represents “flesh” or “body,” and 己 (ko), which here acts as a phonetic component that also subtly implies “self” or “private.” Together, they visually suggest […]
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 蒸 (Jou, Musu) – The Kanji for Steam! 蒸 Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), む.す, む.らす, む.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: steam; to steam; humid The kanji 蒸 combines 臼 (mortar) with 烝 (a component representing rising steam/heat, composed of 丞 (to assist, here indicating rising) and 火 (fire) at the bottom). It visually depicts
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 脂 (abura, shi) – Mastering the Kanji for “Fat” 脂 Readings: シ (Onyomi), あぶら (Kunyomi) Meaning: fat, grease, tallow The radical 月 (niku-zuki, meaning “meat” or “flesh”) indicates a connection to the body or meat. The right part 旨 (shi/mune, meaning “delicious” or “essence”) acts as a phonetic component that also
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 隻 (Seki) – Counter for Ships and More 隻 Readings: セキ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Counter for ships, boats, fish, birds, textiles; one of a pair The kanji 隻 originates from a pictogram depicting a bird with only one leg (a common depiction for birds standing or landing). This imagery evolved to
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 缶 (Kan) – The Can! 缶 Readings: カン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Can, tin can A pictograph of a small jar or pot with a lid, depicting a container. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 缶 has 6 strokes. It starts with the two horizontal
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 召 (mesu, shou) – Summon, Call, Invite 召 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), め-す, めし- (Kunyomi) Meaning: summon, call, send for, invite, wear, buy (honorific) The kanji 召 depicts a person (刀, a variant of 人) kneeling or standing under a mouth (口). It originally meant “to call, summon, or invite someone from
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 咲 (Saku) – To Bloom & Blossom 咲 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), さ.く, さき (Kunyomi) Meaning: Bloom, blossom Derived from 口 (mouth/opening) and 笑 (laugh/smile), representing the opening of a flower like a mouth smiling. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 咲 has 9 strokes.
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 瓶 瓶 Readings: ビン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: bottle, jar, vial The kanji 瓶 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left component 缶 (かん) denotes a container, specifically an earthenware or metal vessel. The right component 竝 (へい/びょう), pronounced “bin” in this context, serves as a phonetic element, contributing to the “bin” sound.
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 湿 (Shitsu) – Master the Kanji for “Wet” and “Damp” 湿 Readings: シツ (Onyomi), しめ.る, しめ.す, うるお.う, うるお.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: wet, damp, moist The kanji 湿 is formed by combining the water radical (氵) on the left, which clearly relates to liquids and moisture, and the phonetic component 𠙵 on the
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 銅 (Dou) – Mastering the Kanji for Copper 銅 Readings: ドウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Copper The kanji 銅 combines 金 (metal) and 同 (same, alike), where 同 serves as a phonetic component. It historically referred to a metal of similar color or quality, specifically copper. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 汗 (ase) – Sweat 汗 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
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 綿 (wata/men) – Cotton, Wadding 綿 Readings: メン (Onyomi), わた (Kunyomi) Meaning: cotton, wadding The kanji 綿 is composed of the radical 糸 (ito), meaning “thread” or “silk,” and 免 (men), which means “to escape,” “to avoid,” or “to be free of.” The combination likely suggests something light, fluffy, and easily
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 糸 (ito) – Thread & String 糸 Readings: シ (Onyomi), いと (Kunyomi) Meaning: thread, string, yarn The character 糸 is a pictograph of a skein of twisted threads, representing thread or silk. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 糸 is written with 6 strokes.
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 粉 (kona, fun) – Powder Your Way to Proficiency! 粉 Readings: フン, コ (Onyomi), こな, こ (Kunyomi) Meaning: powder, flour, dust The kanji 粉 combines 米 (rice, grain) and 分 (divide), symbolizing grain or other substances that have been broken down into small, fine particles, hence “powder” or “flour.” View JLPT
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 拾 (ひろう) – To Pick Up 拾 Readings: シュウ, ジュウ (Onyomi), ひろ.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: To pick up, gather, find The kanji 拾 combines the hand radical (扌), indicating an action done with the hand, and the component 合 (to fit, join). This suggests the meaning of picking something up and fitting
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 祈 (ino-ru) – To Pray 祈 Readings: キ (Onyomi), いの-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: Pray, entreat The kanji 祈 combines the radical 示 (shimesu), which depicts an altar or a religious service, and 斤 (kin), which acts as a phonetic component. Together, it conveys the idea of presenting or showing one’s wishes or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 棒 (bou) – The Kanji for ‘Stick’ and ‘Rod’ 棒 Readings: ボウ (Onyomi), ぼう (Kunyomi) Meaning: stick, rod, pole, bar 形声文字 (Keisei Moji). Composed of 木 (ki), meaning “tree” or “wood” (semantic component), and 奉 (hō, bō), which gives the phonetic reading (sound component). View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 乾 (KAN, kawa.ku) – Dry & Drying 乾 Readings: カン (Onyomi), かわ.く, かわ.かす, ほ.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: dry, to dry, heaven The kanji 乾 visually combines components that hint at its meaning. The top part, 天 (ten), means “heaven” or “sky,” suggesting exposure to the elements like the sun and open air,
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 氷 (Koori/Hyou) – The Kanji for Ice 氷 Readings: ヒョウ (Onyomi), こおり, ひ (Kunyomi) Meaning: ice A pictograph representing ice crystals or water frozen into ice, derived from the water radical (水), which is simplified to 冫 when on the left side. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write –
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 拝 (Hai) – To Worship, Bow, Humbly Visit 拝 Readings: ハイ (Onyomi), おが-む (Kunyomi) Meaning: To worship, to bow, to humbly visit The character 拝 depicts hands (手) respectfully brought together in front of a ritual vessel or altar (a component related to 豊), signifying an act of reverence, worship, or
