Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 預 (Yoku) – To Deposit, To Entrust 預 Readings: ヨ (Onyomi), あず, あずけ (Kunyomi) Meaning: To deposit, To entrust, To keep in custody The etymology of 預 combines 予 (before, pre-) and 貝 (shell, money). Originally, it depicted a hand (scribe) holding money or valuables, suggesting the act of entrusting or […]
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 替 (Substitute, Change) 替 Readings: カイ (kai) (Onyomi), か.える (ka.eru), か.わる (ka.waru), か.eshi (ka.eshi) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Substitute, Change, Replace, Swap, Alternating The character 替 is composed of 廴 (yǐn, meaning ‘to walk’ or ‘to move slowly’) and 欠 (qiàn, meaning ‘lack’ or ‘gap’). The original meaning is believed to relate to
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 雇 (Hire) 雇 Readings: コ (Onyomi), やと.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: to hire; to employ; to rent The character 雇 is composed of the radical ⺭ (often simplified from 戶, meaning door or house) and the phonetic component ⾢ (meaning foot or to walk). The original meaning relates to people coming and going,
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 紹 (Introduction, Suggestion) 紹 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), – (Kunyomi) Meaning: Introduce, lead, recommend, page (of a book) The kanji 紹 is composed of the radical 糸 (ito, meaning silk thread) and the phonetic component 妁 (shaku). The silk radical suggests something being woven or connected, while 妁 originally depicted a woman
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 弱 (Weak) 弱 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,
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 駐 (Stay, Lodge) 駐 Readings: チュウ (Onyomi), \* (Kunyomi) Meaning: To stay, to lodge, to reside The kanji 駐 is a phono-semantic compound, where the phonetic component 專 (sen, meaning “exclusive” or “to concentrate”) and the semantic component 阜 (fu, meaning “mound” or “hill,” referring to a place to stop or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 包 – Meaning, Readings, and Example Sentences 包 Readings: ホ (Onyomi), つつ.む, くる.む (Kunyomi) Meaning: to wrap, to cover, to include, to contain, to envelop, parcel, package, bag undefined View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 包 is written with 5 strokes. It starts with
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 燃 (Burn, Blaze) 燃 Readings: ネン (Onyomi), も, も, える (Kunyomi) Meaning: to burn, to blaze, to be consumed with passion The character 燃 is a phono-semantic compound character. The left part, 舛 (masu), is a phonetic component representing the sound “nen”. The right part, 火 (hi), represents the meaning of
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 跡 (Trace, Track, Mark, Vestige) 跡 Readings: セキ (Onyomi), あと (Kunyomi) Meaning: Trace, track, mark, vestige, footprint, precedent The character is a combination of 彳 (a variant of 蟑 representing a “walking person” or “foot”) and 斤 (which here represents “axe” or “chop”; it was also used phonetically). The original meaning
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 巻 (maku, maki, KAN, KEN) – Roll, Scroll, Volume 巻 Readings: カン, ケン (Onyomi), まく, まき (Kunyomi) Meaning: scroll, volume, roll, reel, part (of a book), coil The kanji 巻 is said to be a pictograph representing a hand (derived from 又 or 卩, which can be part of its components)
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 届 (Todoku/Todokeru) – Reach, Deliver, Report 届 Readings: (Onyomi), とど・ける, とど・く (Kunyomi) Meaning: deliver, reach, arrive, report, notify The kanji 届 is composed of the radical 尸 (shikabane, meaning “corpse” or “roof/shelter” in this context) and 由 (yoshi, meaning “reason” or “origin,” but here it acts phonetically and semantically, suggesting a
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 傾 (katamuku, katamukeru, KEI) – Lean, Incline 傾 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), かたむ.く, かたむ.ける (Kunyomi) Meaning: lean, incline, tilt, tend, list, bend, dispose towards The kanji 傾 combines the radical 人 (person) with 頃 (a phonetic component that suggests “tilting” or “leaning”). Together, it evokes the image of a person tilting or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 骨 (hone / kotsu) – Bone, Skeleton 骨 Readings: コツ (Onyomi), ほね (Kunyomi) Meaning: bone, skeleton The kanji 骨 (hone) originally depicted a bone with flesh removed, specifically showing the structure of a spine and ribs. It evolved from ancient oracle bone script. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 板 (ita) – Board, Plank, Panel 板 Readings: ハン (Onyomi), いた (Kunyomi) Meaning: board, plank, panel The kanji 板 combines 木 (tree/wood) representing the material, and 反 (to turn over, 反る meaning to warp or curve) suggesting a flat, processed piece of wood. Together, they form a kanji meaning a board
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 札 (fuda, satsu) – Cards, Tags, Bills 札 Readings: サツ (Onyomi), ふだ (Kunyomi) Meaning: card, tag, label, ticket, bill (money) The kanji 札 originally depicted a wooden tablet or tag. It combines the radical 木 (tree/wood) on the left, signifying material, with 乚 (hook, bend) on the right, suggesting something attached,
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 栄 (ei, sakaeru) – Prosperity and Glory 栄 Readings: エイ (Onyomi), さか.える, は.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: prosperity, glory, splendor, flourish The kanji 栄 originally depicted a tree with flourishing branches, symbolizing thriving growth and abundance. Over time, its meaning expanded to encompass prosperity, glory, and splendor. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 仲 (naka, CHUU) – Relationship & Mediation 仲 Readings: チュウ (Onyomi), なか (Kunyomi) Meaning: relationship, middle, go-between, mediator The kanji 仲 combines the radical 人 (person) and 中 (middle), suggesting “a person in the middle” or “a person who is in between,” leading to meanings related to relationships, mediation, or being
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 郵 (Yū) – Master Mail & Postal Vocabulary 郵 Readings: ユウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: mail, postage, post office The radical 阝 (おおざと, a variant of 邑, town/district) combined with 垂 (スイ, しだれる, to hang down). 垂 represents something conveying or hanging. Together, it implies conveying things (like messages/goods) between towns or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 複 (FUKU) – Duplicate, Multiple, Compound 複 Readings: フク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: duplicate, multiple, compound, double Phono-semantic compound (形声). Composed of 衣 (clothing) for meaning and 復 (return, repeat) for sound. Originally referred to “lined clothing,” evolving to “double” or “multiple.” View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 枚 (mai) – Counter for Flat Objects 枚 Readings: マイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Counter for flat objects (e.g., sheets of paper, plates, stamps, shirts, CDs) The kanji 枚 originally depicted a tree with a single branch, representing thin, flat pieces of wood or leaves. Over time, its meaning expanded to be
