Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 叫 (sakebu) – To Shout, Yell, Cry Out 叫 Readings: キョウ (Onyomi), さけ.ぶ (Kunyomi) Meaning: shout, cry, yell The kanji 叫 is a phonetic-semantic compound. It combines 口 (kuchi, “mouth”) as the semantic component and 叫 as the phonetic component, which visually depicts a person shouting. View JLPT N2 Kanji List […]
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 毒 (doku) – Understanding ‘Poison’ in Japanese 毒 Readings: ドク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: poison, venom, germ, harm, injury The character 毒 is composed of two parts. The top part represents a poisonous plant or substance, and the bottom part 毋 (mu) signifies ‘not’ or ‘do not.’ Together, it forms the meaning
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 軒 – Mastering Eaves and Counting Houses 軒 Readings: ケン (Onyomi), のき (Kunyomi) Meaning: eaves; counter for houses A pictograph of a vehicle (車) with a projecting part (干), evolving to mean the eaves or roof extension of a house, and used as a counter for buildings. View JLPT N2 Kanji
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 塗 (to smear, to paint) 塗 Readings: ト (Onyomi), ぬ-る, ぬ-り, まみ-れる, まぶ-す (Kunyomi) Meaning: paint, smear, apply, spread, coat The kanji 塗 combines 土 (earth, soil) and 余 (surplus, remaining, to go over). The “余” component suggests the idea of “excess” or “spreading out,” and when combined with “土,” it
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji 枝: Everything You Need to Know About “Branch” 枝 Readings: シ (Onyomi), えだ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Branch, twig, limb A phono-semantic compound (形声字); derived from the semantic component 木 (tree) and the phonetic component 支 (zhi, meaning ‘branch, support’), indicating something extending from a main body. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 鋭 (surudoi, EI) – Sharpen Your Knowledge! 鋭 Readings: エイ (Onyomi), するど.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: sharp; keen; pointed; acute; excellent; perceptive The kanji 鋭 (ei) is formed from the radical 金 (kin/kane), meaning “metal,” and 兌 (da/tai), which signifies “to exchange,” “to open,” or “to shed.” The 兌 component here is thought
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 孫 (mago) – Grandchild 孫 Readings: ソン (Onyomi), まご (Kunyomi) Meaning: grandchild, descendant The character is a combination of 糸 (thread) and 子 (child), suggesting the continuation of a family line, like a thread extending from a child to a grandchild. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 匹 (hiki) – Counter for Small Animals 匹 Readings: ヒツ (Onyomi), ひき, びき, ぴき (Kunyomi) Meaning: Counter for small animals (fish, insects, dogs, cats, etc.); pair; equal A pictogram of two horses standing side by side, suggesting a pair or “equal.” It later evolved to be used as a general counter
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 涙 (Namida) – Understanding Tears 涙 Readings: ルイ (Onyomi), なみだ (Kunyomi) Meaning: tears, sympathy The kanji 涙 is formed from the radical 水 (sui, mizu), meaning “water,” and 戻 (rei, modosu), meaning “to return” or “to revert.” The 戻 component acts as a phonetic element for the “rui” (ルイ) reading and
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 鉱 (Kou) – Mine, Mineral 鉱 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: mine, mineral The kanji 鉱 combines 金 (metal) and 広 (wide, extensive). It metaphorically represents metal or minerals found extensively within the earth, leading to its meaning of “mine” or “mineral.” View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write –
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 溶 (yō, tokeru) – Dissolve, Melt 溶 Readings: ヨウ (Onyomi), と-ける, と-かす (Kunyomi) Meaning: dissolve, melt The kanji 溶 combines the water radical 氵 (water) with the component 容 (yō), meaning “contain” or “appearance.” Together, they visually suggest a substance changing its form within water, leading to the meanings “dissolve” or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 湯 (yu) – Hot Water & Baths 湯 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), ゆ (Kunyomi) Meaning: hot water, bath A phono-semantic character (形声文字). Composed of the water radical (氵) indicating its meaning related to water, and 昜 as the phonetic component, which originally denoted “sun” or “shine,” suggesting rising or spreading, hence referring
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 虫 (Mushi) – Insect, Bug, Worm 虫 Readings: チュウ (Onyomi), むし (Kunyomi) Meaning: Insect, bug, worm A pictograph of a snake or worm, evolving to represent insects and bugs in general. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 虫 has 6 strokes. It starts with
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 刷 (satsu/suru) – Print, Brush 刷 Readings: サツ (Onyomi), する (Kunyomi) Meaning: Print, brush The kanji 刷 combines 冊 (satsu – a stack of bamboo slips or books) and 刀 (katana – knife or sword). The original meaning is related to cutting or scraping, specifically the act of preparing surfaces for
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 干 (kan/ho.su) – Dry, Ebb, Interfere 干 Readings: カン (Onyomi), ほ.す, ほ.し, ひ.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: dry, parch, ebb, intervene, interfere The kanji 干 (かん/ほす) is an ancient ideogram. Its original form is thought to depict a shield or a pitchfork, suggesting concepts of ‘drying’ (by exposure) or ‘interfering’ (like a barrier).
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 喫 (Kitsu) – To Eat, Drink, or Smoke 喫 Readings: キツ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: to eat, drink, smoke, consume The kanji 喫 is a phono-semantic compound. The left element, 口 (くち), means “mouth” and acts as the semantic component, indicating actions related to the mouth (eating, drinking). The right element, 契,
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 湖 (mizu’umi) – Lake 湖 Readings: コ (Onyomi), みずうみ (Kunyomi) Meaning: lake A phono-semantic compound where the left radical 氵 (water) indicates the meaning, and 胡 provides the phonetic component. It depicts a large body of water. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 湖
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 卵 (Tamago) – Egg 卵 Readings: ラン (Onyomi), たまご (Kunyomi) Meaning: Egg A pictogram of an egg, often depicted with a crack or an embryo inside, representing its primary meaning. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 卵 has 7 strokes. The stroke order begins
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 珍 (chin, mezurashii) – Rare, Curious, Precious 珍 Readings: チン (Onyomi), めずら.しい (Kunyomi) Meaning: Rare, curious, strange, precious The kanji 珍 combines 玉 (gyoku/tama), meaning “jewel” or “jade”, and 㐱 (chin), a phonetic component that suggests something “fine” or “delicate”. Together, it conveys the idea of something precious and rare, like
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 菜 (na, SAI) – Vegetables and Side Dishes 菜 Readings: サイ (Onyomi), な (Kunyomi) Meaning: vegetable; side dish; greens The kanji 菜 combines the grass radical (艹) with 采 (サイ), which means “to pick” or “to gather.” Together, it symbolizes plants that are gathered for food, specifically referring to vegetables. View
