Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 伸 (Shin) – Stretch, Extend, Grow 伸 Readings: シン (Onyomi), のびる, のばす, のび, のびやか (Kunyomi) Meaning: stretch, extend, lengthen, expand, grow The character ‘伸’ combines the radical ‘人’ (ninben, meaning person) on the left and ‘申’ on the right. ‘申’ originally depicted lightning or a spiraling cord, conveying the idea of […]
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 署 (sho) – Public Office, Sign 署 Readings: ショ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: public office, station, to sign, to affix (seal) A combination of 罒 (net/eye/seeing) and 署 (to write/place). It originally depicted writing or signing a document, especially related to official duties or locations. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 芸 (gei) – Master Art, Skill, and Performance! 芸 Readings: ゲイ (Onyomi), う.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: art, craft, performance, accomplishment, trick, skill, technique The character 芸 originally depicted a plant or herb, particularly an aromatic one used for cultivation. The top part (艹) is the grass radical, and the bottom part (云)
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 圧 (Atsu) – Pressure and Beyond 圧 Readings: アツ (Onyomi), お.す, へ.す, おさ.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: pressure, push, overwhelm, oppress The kanji 圧 is said to originate from a pictograph representing a person pushing down on something with great force or weight, conveying the idea of pressure or suppression. View JLPT N2
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 億 (oku) – Hundred Million 億 Readings: オク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: hundred million The kanji 億 is composed of the radical 人 (person) and the phonetic component 意 (meaning, thought), which gives it the ‘oku’ sound. It represents a large quantity, specifically one hundred million. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 均 均 Readings: キン (Onyomi), なら.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: Even, equal, average The kanji 均 originally depicted a balance or a weighing scale, implying balance or equality. It combines the radical 土 (earth/ground) on the left, which can suggest a level surface or foundation, and 匀 (uniform/even) on the right, signifying balance
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 倍 (BAI) – Multiply, Double 倍 Readings: バイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: times, double, multiply The kanji 倍 combines the “person” radical (人/亻) and “every” (咅 – originally meaning to combine, here phonetic). It suggests “to combine” or “to increase” by a certain factor. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 清 (kiyoi, sei) – Purity and Clarity 清 Readings: セイ, ショウ (Onyomi), きよ.い, きよ.まる, きよ.める (Kunyomi) Meaning: pure, clean, clear The kanji 清 combines the radical 水 (water) on the left, indicating a connection to liquids, and 青 (blue/green) on the right, which acts as a phonetic component and also suggests
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 植 (Ue) – Plant, Grow, Cultivate 植 Readings: ショク (Onyomi), う.える, う.わる (Kunyomi) Meaning: plant, grow, cultivate 形声 (けいせい – phono-semantic compound). The left radical 木 (き) means “tree” or “wood,” indicating the category of meaning. The right part 直 (チョク) is the phonetic component, indicating the sound, suggesting “to put
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 占 (uranau, shimeru) – Fortune, Occupy 占 Readings: セン (Onyomi), うらな.う, し.める (Kunyomi) Meaning: fortune-telling, occupy, seize, divination The kanji 占 combines 卜 (boku), meaning “divination” or “oracle bone,” and 口 (kuchi), meaning “mouth.” The combination suggests speaking or inquiring about divination. It evolved to also mean “occupy” or “take up
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 輪 (wa, RIN) – Wheel, Ring, Circle 輪 Readings: リン (Onyomi), わ (Kunyomi) Meaning: wheel, ring, circle, link The kanji 輪 is formed from 車 (kuruma), meaning “vehicle” or “wheel,” and 侖 (rin), which is a phonetic component that suggests “logic,” “order,” or “roundness.” Together, they convey the idea of something
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 暴 (BOU, BAKU, abareru, abaku) – Raging, Violence, Expose 暴 Readings: ボウ, バク (Onyomi), あば.れる, あば.く (Kunyomi) Meaning: Raging, violence, sudden, expose, bare The character 暴 combines 日 (sun, here referring to a person’s face or head) and 𢆶 (to exert force, to control). It originally depicted someone forcefully exposing something
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 油 (abura/yu) – Oil, Fat 油 Readings: ユ (Onyomi), あぶら (Kunyomi) Meaning: Oil, fat The kanji 油 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 氵 (sanzui), the radical for water, with 由 (yu), which provides the phonetic component and also carries the meaning of ‘from’ or ‘reason’. This suggests something liquid and
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 短 (tan, mijikai) – Short & Brevity 短 Readings: タン (Onyomi), みじか.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: Short, brevity The kanji 短 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 矢 (arrow), which suggests something cut or brief, with 豆 (bean) for its phonetic element. Together, they form the meaning of “short.” View JLPT N2 Kanji
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 久 (hisa, kyū, ku) – Long Time, Old Story 久 Readings: キュウ, ク (Onyomi), ひさ.しい (Kunyomi) Meaning: long time, old story The kanji 久 is thought to be a pictograph of a person lying down for a long period, or perhaps a person leaning against something, suggesting a state of endurance
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 換 (kan) – Exchange, Convert, Replace 換 Readings: カン (Onyomi), か.える, -が.え, か.わる (Kunyomi) Meaning: exchange, substitute, convert, replace The kanji 換 combines the radical 手 (hand), symbolizing action or manipulation, with the phonetic component 奐 (huàn in Chinese), which originally meant spacious or to change/exchange. Together, it conveys the idea
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 逆 (gyaku/saka) – Reverse, Opposite 逆 Readings: ギャク (Onyomi), さか, さから.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: reverse, inverse, opposite, against Phono-semantic compound (形声): 辶 (walk, movement) + 屰 (inverted, standing on one’s head). The combination suggests ‘to go against’ or ‘to reverse direction’. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 印 (In, Shirushi) – Mark, Print, Seal 印 Readings: イン (Onyomi), しるし (Kunyomi) Meaning: mark, print, stamp, seal, symbol, India The kanji 印 is a pictograph depicting a kneeling person (卩) and a seal or stamp. It originally represented the action of pressing a seal, hence its meanings related to marks
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 禁 (kin) – Prohibition, Ban 禁 Readings: キン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: prohibition, ban, forbid The kanji 禁 combines the radical 示 (shimesu), meaning “altar” or “show,” and 林 (hayashi), representing a “grove” or “forest.” Historically, this character depicted a sacred grove where entry was forbidden, hence its meaning of “prohibition” or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 児 (ko, ji, ni) – Child, Infant 児 Readings: ジ, ニ (Onyomi), こ, -こ (Kunyomi) Meaning: child, newborn baby, young The character depicts a child, often interpreted as a baby with a prominent head and a swaddled body, representing a newborn or young child. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to
