Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 兵 (heishi) – Mastering the Kanji for “Soldier” 兵 Readings: ヘイ, ヒョウ (Onyomi), つわもの (Kunyomi) Meaning: soldier, army, troops, warfare The kanji 兵 is an ideogrammic compound (会意字) that combines 斤 (jīn), representing an “axe” or “weapon,” and 廾 (gǒng), depicting “two hands” or possibly an ancient form of a military […]
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 管 (kan, kuda) – Pipe, Tube, Control 管 Readings: カン (Onyomi), くだ (Kunyomi) Meaning: pipe, tube, control, jurisdiction A combination of the radical 竹 (take – bamboo), indicating a hollow plant like a pipe, and 官 (kan – government official), which signifies control or management and also serves as a phonetic
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 階 (kai) – Floor, Stairs, Rank 階 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), きざはし (Kunyomi) Meaning: floor, story, stairs, rank, grade 形声文字 (Phonetic-semantic compound). From 阝 (hill, mound) and 旨 (phonetic element, originally referring to steps or tiers). Represents steps or stairs on a hillside, leading to meanings like floor, level, or rank. View
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 史 (shi) – History, Chronicle 史 Readings: シ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: history; chronicle This kanji is an ideogram depicting a hand holding a writing brush, signifying the act of recording. It represents an official whose duty was to record events and facts, leading to its meaning of “history” or “chronicle.” View
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 谷 (Tani) – The Kanji for Valley 谷 Readings: コク (Onyomi), たに (Kunyomi) Meaning: valley A pictograph of a valley, depicting the opening in the middle with the two sides representing the valley walls. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 谷 (tani) has 7
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 専 (SEN, moppa) – Specialized & Exclusive 専 Readings: セン (Onyomi), もっぱら (Kunyomi) Meaning: specialized, exclusive, main, sole The kanji 専 is said to depict a shuttle on a loom, symbolizing dedication or specialization in a particular task or area. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 針 (hari / SHIN) – Needle, Pin, Pointer 針 Readings: シン (Onyomi), はり (Kunyomi) Meaning: needle, pin, hook, barb, pointer The kanji 針 combines 金 (metal) and 十 (a pictograph representing a needle or a pin). It literally depicts a “metal needle.” View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write –
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 況 (kyō) – Situation, Condition 況 Readings: キョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: state, situation, condition, circumstance Formed from the water radical 氵 (水), and 兄 (older brother/state), which acts as a phonetic component providing the sound “kyō” and hints at “state” or “condition”. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write –
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 型 (gata/kata/kei) – Form, Type, Model 型 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), かた, -がた (Kunyomi) Meaning: form, type, model, mold, pattern The character 型 originally depicts a mold or pattern used for casting or shaping. The left part (土) represents earth or clay, and the right part (刀, which is simplified to 刂
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 量 (Ryō/Hakaru) – Quantity, Amount, Volume 量 Readings: リョウ (Onyomi), はか-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: quantity, amount, volume, measure The kanji 量 originally depicted a measuring vessel or a scale. It combines 里 (ri), which in this context often serves as a phonetic component or is related to units of measurement, and 斗
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 蔵 (zou, kura) – Storehouse, Hide, Possess 蔵 Readings: ゾウ (Onyomi), くら, おさめる, かくす (Kunyomi) Meaning: storehouse, hide, own, have, possess The kanji 蔵 is composed of 艸 (くさかんむり), meaning “grass” or “plants,” and 臧 (ゾウ), which signifies “good,” “hide,” or “store.” The element 臧 itself combines 臣 (しん) “minister/servant” and
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 含 (gamu) – Include, Contain 含 Readings: ガン (Onyomi), ふくむ, ふくめる (Kunyomi) Meaning: include, contain, hold in the mouth, bear (grudge) The character combines the mouth radical (口) and a component that represents “to contain” or “to hold inside” (今 – now/present, used phonetically or semantically to denote containment). It depicts
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 極 (kyoku, goku, kiwameru) – Mastering Extremes and Pinnacles 極 Readings: キョク, ゴク (Onyomi), きわ-める, きわ-まる, きわ-み (Kunyomi) Meaning: Pole, extreme, peak, utmost, culmination, apex, ultimate, very. Formed from the radical 木 (tree) and the phonetic component 亟 (jí), which implies ‘urgently’ or ‘rapidly reaching a limit’. The combination suggests reaching
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 脳 (Nō) – Meaning, Readings, and Examples 脳 Readings: ノウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: brain 形声文字 (Keisei Moji). Formed from 肉 (にく – meat/flesh, indicating relation to body) and 囟 (しん – phonetic component, representing a fontanel or head). Together, it signifies the “brain” as the flesh/organ in the head. View JLPT
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 課 (ka) – Chapter, Lesson, Section, Department 課 Readings: カ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: chapter, lesson, section, department, division, counter for lessons/chapters 形声 (けいせい) – Phono-semantic compound. Formed from 言 (speech, word) and 果 (fruit, result, task). The 果 component contributes to the sound and suggests a division or segment, like a
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 門 (Mon/Kado) – The Gate 門 Readings: モン (Onyomi), かど, と (Kunyomi) Meaning: gate, door The kanji 門 is a pictograph of a double-leaf gate or door. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 門 has 8 strokes. It starts with the left vertical stroke,
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 個 – Master the Counter for Items! 個 Readings: コ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: individual; counter for articles A combination of the radical 人 (person), representing a single entity, and 固 (solid, firm), which lends the “ko” sound and suggests a distinct, separate unit. Together, it conveys the idea of a single,
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 移 (I/Utsu) – To Move, Shift, Transfer 移 Readings: イ (Onyomi), うつ.る, うつ.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: Move, Shift, Transfer, Change The kanji 移 is composed of two parts: 禾 (いね – ine), meaning ‘grain’ or ‘rice plant’, and 乃 (の – no), which originally depicted a hand pushing something away, indicating movement
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 復 (Fuku) – Restore, Return 復 Readings: フク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: restore, return, revert, resume The kanji 復 (fuku) is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 彳 (chì), the “walking” or “stride” radical, with 艮 (gěn), which serves as the phonetic component and also suggests “stopping” or “turning back.” Together, these components
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 低 (tei, hiku.i) – Understanding “Low” and “Humble” 低 Readings: テイ (Onyomi), ひく.い, ひく.める, ひく.まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Low, short, humble 形声文字 (Keisei Moji). Combines the radical 人 (person) with 氐 (di), which indicates the sound and originally meant “base” or “foundation.” Together, it implies being in a low position. View JLPT
