JLPT N3 Kanji: 暗 (AN, KURA.I) – Master “Dark” 暗 Readings: アン (Onyomi), くら.い, くら.む, くら.ます (Kunyomi) Meaning: dark, gloomy, hidden, secret 形声文字 (けいせいもじ – phono-semantic character). Formed from 日 (ひ – sun) and 音 (おん – sound/noise, phonetic component). It depicts the sun being obscured, leading to darkness. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: 寝 (To Sleep) 寝 Readings: シン (Onyomi), ね, ねる (Kunyomi) Meaning: to sleep, to lie down The kanji 寝 combines 宀 (roof, house), 爿 (bed, split wood), and an element representing a person leaning or lying down. It depicts a person sleeping on a bed inside a house. View JLPT N3 Kanji
JLPT N3 Kanji: 到 (Tō / Itaru) – Mastering Arrival and Reaching 到 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), いたる (Kunyomi) Meaning: arrive, reach, attain, result in The kanji 到 (tō/itaru) is composed of 至 (reaching) and 刀 (sword/knife). The combination suggests reaching a destination quickly or decisively, or arriving at a certain point. View JLPT N3 Kanji
JLPT N3 Kanji: 掛 (kakeru/kakaru) – Master its Meanings and Uses 掛 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), か.ける, か.かる (Kunyomi) Meaning: hang, suspend, depend, arrive at, hook, plant (a tree), cover, spend The kanji 掛 is composed of the radical 手 (て), meaning “hand,” and 卦 (け), which acts as a phonetic component but also originally depicted
JLPT N3 Kanji: 晴 (hare) – Clear Weather & More 晴 Readings: セイ (Onyomi), はれ, はれる, はらす (Kunyomi) Meaning: Clear weather; fine; sunny; to clear up; to be dispelled The kanji 晴 combines 日 (sun, day) and 青 (blue, green, or pure). Together, they represent the sun appearing in a clear, blue sky, thus signifying
JLPT N3 Kanji: 悲 (Hi / Kana) – Mastering the Kanji for “Sad” 悲 Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), かな(しい), かな(しむ) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Sad, grieve, lament The kanji 悲 combines 廿 (many sounds, clamor) and 心 (heart), symbolizing a heart filled with many sounds, which represents sorrow, sadness, or grief. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to
JLPT N3 Kanji: 酒 (Sake, Alcohol) – A Toast to Japanese Vocabulary 酒 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), さけ, さか (Kunyomi) Meaning: Alcohol; sake The kanji 酒 is a pictograph depicting a wine jar with contents. The left radical 酉 (sake jar) represents a vessel for fermented liquids, and the right component relates to liquid or water,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 暮 (kureru, kurasu) – Understanding Livelihood and Evening 暮 Readings: ボ (Onyomi), く, くれる, くれ (Kunyomi) Meaning: livelihood, make a living, spend (time), evening, twilight The character 暮 combines the radical 日 (sun/day) with the component 莫 (ばく), which means “to set” or “to be dark/evening”. Together, it signifies the setting of
JLPT N3 Kanji: 草 (kusa) – Grass, Weed 草 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), くさ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Grass, weed, herb The kanji 草 is a pictograph depicting lush grass or plants growing. The top radical 艹 (くさかんむり) literally means “grass” and is commonly found in kanji related to plants. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N3 Kanji: 折 – Break, Fold, Bend 折 Readings: セツ (Onyomi), お.る, お.り, お.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: break, fold, bend, snap, occasion, opportunity The kanji 折 is a compound of the radical 扌 (tehen, “hand”) and the component 斤 (kin, “axe” or “cut”). Together, they suggest the action of breaking or cutting something with one’s
JLPT N3 Kanji: 緒 (Sho/Cho) – Connecting the Dots! 緒 Readings: ショ, チョ (Onyomi), お, いとぐち, おび (Kunyomi) Meaning: cord, strap, tie; beginning, in process, together The kanji 緒 combines 糸 (いと, thread) and 者 (もの, person/thing). The 者 part acts as a phonetic component, giving the “sho” sound, and also contributes to the idea
JLPT N3 Kanji: 閉 (HEI, to.jiru) – Close, Shut 閉 Readings: ヘイ (Onyomi), と.じる, と.ざす, し.める, し.まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Close, shut, block up Phono-semantic compound (形声): 門 (gate) + 才 (sound component). The gate radical clearly indicates something related to an opening or closing. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
JLPT N3 Kanji: 君 – Mastering “You” and “Ruler” 君 Readings: くん (Onyomi), きみ (Kunyomi) Meaning: you, mister, ruler, sovereign, lord The kanji 君 originally depicted a hand holding a scepter or staff, symbolizing authority. It later evolved to represent a ruler or lord, and by extension, a person addressed with respect or familiarity (like
JLPT N3 Kanji: 夢 (Yume) – Unraveling the Kanji for “Dream” 夢 Readings: ム (Onyomi), ゆめ (Kunyomi) Meaning: dream The character 夢 (yume) is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 宀 (mián), a roof radical, indicating enclosure or sleep, with an ancient form of an eye or sleep, and 夕 (yū), meaning “evening” or “night.” Together,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 迷 (mayo.u) – Getting Lost and Perplexed 迷 Readings: メイ (Onyomi), まよ.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: lost, astray, perplexed The radical ⻌ (しんにょう) represents a path or movement, while the component 米 (こめ) often indicates confusion or disorder. Together, they suggest getting lost or becoming perplexed on a path. View JLPT N3 Kanji List
JLPT N3 Kanji: 遊 (asobu) – Play, Amuse, Travel 遊 Readings: ユウ (Onyomi), あそぶ, あそび (Kunyomi) Meaning: Play, amuse, travel, stroll The kanji 遊 combines the radical 辵 (movement, going) and 斿 (a banner swaying, suggesting leisurely movement or a trip). Together, they imply wandering or moving about freely, leading to the meaning of playing
JLPT N3 Kanji: 逃 – Master the Art of Escape! 逃 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), に.げる, に.がす, のが.す, のが.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: escape, flee, run away The kanji 逃 combines the radical 辶 (しんにょう), meaning “walk” or “movement,” with the component 兆 (ちょう), which signifies “omen” or “sign.” Together, it conveys the idea of “moving away at
JLPT N3 Kanji: 探 (tan, saga.su, sagu.ru) – Search, Explore, Investigate 探 Readings: タン (Onyomi), さが.す, さぐ.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: Search, look for, investigate, explore, probe The kanji 探 combines the hand radical (扌, meaning “hand” or “action involving hands”) with a phonetic component (㮠) that suggests “deep” or “explore.” Together, it represents the action of
JLPT N3 Kanji: 列 (Retsu) – Mastering “Row, Line, Column” 列 Readings: レツ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Row, line, column, queue The etymology of 列 (retsu) is often depicted as a person or object divided or arranged in order, leading to the meaning of “lining up” or “forming a row.” It combines the radical 歹 (gai/death,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 似 – Master the Kanji for “Resemble”! 似 Readings: ジ (Onyomi), にる, にせる (Kunyomi) Meaning: resemble, be similar, look alike 形声文字 (けいせいもじ – phono-semantic character). The left part 人 (ひと・にんべん) provides the semantic component, indicating a person. The right part 㕄 (a variant of 爾) provides the phonetic component ジ, also conveying
