JLPT N3 Kanji: 束 (taba, soku) – Master the Meaning of “Bundle” 束 Readings: ソク (Onyomi), たば, たば.ねる, つか, つか.ねる (Kunyomi) Meaning: bundle, bunch, tie, organize The kanji 束 is a pictogram of a bundle of wood or grain tied together, representing the idea of bundling or tying things. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: 互 (tagai/go) – Understanding Mutual Relationships 互 Readings: ゴ (Onyomi), たが.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: mutual, reciprocal The kanji 互 is thought to be a pictogram of two people facing each other, symbolizing interaction or reciprocity. It implies a back-and-forth action or relationship. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
JLPT N3 Kanji: 笑 (Warau/Emu) – Laugh & Smile! 笑 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), わら(う), え(む) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Laugh, smile The kanji 笑 depicts a person with an open mouth, symbolizing laughter or joy. The top component, 竹 (bamboo), suggests a vibrant, perhaps even “springy” or expressive quality, while the lower part evokes something opening up
JLPT N3 Kanji: 痛 (Itami) – Understanding Pain and More! 痛 Readings: ツウ (Onyomi), いた.い, いた.む, いた.める, いた.ましい (Kunyomi) Meaning: Pain, ache, sore, Itai (ouch!) The radical 疒 (やまいだれ, sickness) on the left indicates illness or disease. The right component 甬 (よう, yō) is a phonetic element that also suggests “to rush forth” or “flow
JLPT N3 Kanji: 欲 (yoku) – Desire, Want, Greed 欲 Readings: ヨク (Onyomi), ほっ.する, ほしい (Kunyomi) Meaning: desire, want, greed The kanji 欲 combines 谷 (valley, representing emptiness or a yearning) and 欠 (to lack, yawn, or be deficient). Together, these components convey the idea of an emptiness or lack that one desires to fill,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 越 (etsu, ko.su, ko.eru) – Cross, Surpass, Exceed 越 Readings: エツ (Onyomi), こ・す, こ・える (Kunyomi) Meaning: Surpass, cross over, move to, exceed, go over The kanji 越 combines elements suggesting movement and passing. The radical 走 (run) indicates motion, while other components imply going beyond or surpassing a boundary. View JLPT N3
JLPT N3 Kanji: 絵 (e, kai) – Mastering the Kanji for “Picture” 絵 Readings: カイ, エ (Onyomi), え (Kunyomi) Meaning: picture, drawing, painting, sketch The kanji 絵 combines the radical 糸 (thread) and the component 会 (assemble, meet). Originally, it depicted patterns woven into textiles or designs painted on cloth, evolving to mean “picture” or
JLPT N3 Kanji: 願 (negau, GAN) – The Kanji for Wishes and Requests 願 Readings: ガン (Onyomi), ねが(う) (Kunyomi) Meaning: wish, hope, request, prayer, petition A phono-semantic compound. It combines 頁 (けつ/おおがい), meaning “head” or “face,” which often relates to desire or prayer, and 原 (はら), which provides the phonetic element (ゲン, later becoming ガン).
JLPT N3 Kanji: 戻 (Modoru) – To Return, Go Back 戻 Readings: レイ (Onyomi), もど.る, もど.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: return, go back, revert The kanji 戻 combines 尸 (shikabane), meaning “corpse” or often representing a turning body or roof, and 旦 (tan), meaning “dawn” or “morning”. While the components suggest a complex origin, the character essentially
JLPT N3 Kanji: 遠 (en, too.i) – Far, Distant 遠 Readings: エン (Onyomi), とお.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: Far, distant The kanji 遠 combines 袁 (えん) representing “round” or “distant,” and 辶 (しんにょう), the radical for “walk” or “road.” Together, they suggest walking a long, round, or distant path, leading to the meaning of “far” or “distant.”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 息 (iki) – Master the Kanji for “Breath” and More! 息 Readings: ソク (Onyomi), いき (Kunyomi) Meaning: breath, son, interest (on money) The kanji 息 combines 自 (self, nose) and 心 (heart, mind). It originally depicted a nose and a heart, symbolizing the act of breathing or the essence of life associated
JLPT N3 Kanji: 恐 (おそれる) – Facing Your Fears in Japanese 恐 Readings: キョウ (Onyomi), おそ-れる, おそ-ろしい, おそ-らく (Kunyomi) Meaning: fear, be afraid, dread Phono-semantic compound. Formed from 巩 (gǒng, “firm; solid”), which acts as the phonetic component, and 心 (xīn, “heart”). The original meaning depicts the heart feeling stiff or constricted due to fear.
JLPT N3 Kanji: 犯 (han, oka.su) – Crime, Offense, Commit 犯 Readings: ハン (Onyomi), おか.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: crime, sin, offense, to commit, to violate The radical 犭 (animal/beast) suggests something wild or aggressive, combined with 凡 (general/common), indicating a common transgression or wrongdoing. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The
JLPT N3 Kanji: 抱 (HOU, da.ku, ida.ku, kaka.eru) – Embrace, Hold, Carry 抱 Readings: ホウ (Onyomi), だ.く, いだ.く, かか.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: Embrace, hug, hold, carry The kanji 抱 is formed from the hand radical (扌) and 包 (to wrap/include), symbolizing the action of holding or embracing with the hand. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How
JLPT N3 Kanji: 賛 (SAN) – Master Approval & Praise! 賛 Readings: サン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: approval, praise, agree, support The kanji 賛 (SAN) combines the radical 貝 (かい), meaning “shell” or “money,” which often appears in kanji related to value, wealth, or transactions. The upper part, 兟, represents advancing or praising. Together, these elements
JLPT N3 Kanji: 刻 (koku, kiza.mu) – Master the Art of Time and Carving! 刻 Readings: コク (Onyomi), きざ.む, きざ.み (Kunyomi) Meaning: Engrave, carve, cut, time, minute, chop The kanji 刻 is composed of 亥 (いのこ: wild boar, also an ancient character representing a pestle or mortar) and 刀 (かたな: knife, sword). This combination suggests
JLPT N3 Kanji: 更 (kō, sara, fukeru) – Mastering “Further” and “Late Night” 更 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), さら, ふ-ける, ふ-かす (Kunyomi) Meaning: further, again, more, furthermore, to renew, to reform, to change, late at night The kanji 更 is said to depict a person (represented by the top left and bottom right components, or a
JLPT N3 Kanji: 欠 (Ketsu / Kakeru) – The Kanji for “Lack” 欠 Readings: ケン, ケツ (Onyomi), か.ける, か.く (Kunyomi) Meaning: lack, deficit, yawn, want, fail, gap The kanji 欠 is a pictograph of a person yawning or gaping. This visual representation evolved to convey the meaning of “lack,” “defect,” or “absence” as in something
JLPT N3 Kanji: 困 (Komu/Kon) – Getting into Trouble! 困 Readings: コン (kon) (Onyomi), こ-まる (ko-maru), こま-る (koma-ru) (Kunyomi) Meaning: to be troubled, to be in difficulty, to be embarrassed, to be bothered, to be at a loss, to be stuck The kanji 困 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 囗 (enclosure, representing a boundary
JLPT N3 Kanji: 招 (maneku, shou) – Invite, Beckon, Summon 招 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), まね.く (Kunyomi) Meaning: beckon, invite, summon, usher, cause The kanji 招 combines the radical 手 (てへん – tehen), meaning “hand,” and 召 (めす – mesu), which means “to call” or “to summon.” Together, these components vividly depict the action of calling
