JLPT N3 Kanji: 落 – To Fall, Drop, or Omit 落 Readings: ラク (RAKU) (Onyomi), おちる (ochiru), おとす (otosu) (Kunyomi) Meaning: to fall, to drop, to omit, to fail The kanji 落 combines 艹 (grass) on top, and 洛 (raku), which phonetically represents ‘falling’ or ‘dropping’, often associated with water flowing down. The grass radical […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: 景 (kei) – Scenery, View, Prospect 景 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Scenery, view, prospect, scene The kanji 景 combines 日 (sun) and 京 (capital city, high building). It originally depicted sunlight shining on a tall building or a capital, thus evolving to mean “scenery” or “view.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List
JLPT N3 Kanji: 形 (Shape, Form, Appearance) 形 Readings: ケイ, ギョウ (Onyomi), かた, かたち (Kunyomi) Meaning: Shape, form, appearance A pictograph representing a mold or a person’s figure, conveying the concept of shape or form. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 形 (kata/katachi/kei/gyou) has 7 strokes. It begins
JLPT N3 Kanji: 働 働 Readings: ドウ (Onyomi), はたらく (Kunyomi) Meaning: work, labor The kanji 働 combines the radical 人 (person) with 動 (move). It literally means a “person moving” or “a person doing something,” which naturally evolved to mean “work” or “labor.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The
JLPT N3 Kanji: 伝 (Den) – Master “Transmit, Convey, Legend” 伝 Readings: デン (Onyomi), つたわる, つたえる, つたえ, づたい (Kunyomi) Meaning: transmit, report, communicate, tradition, legend, convey The kanji 伝 (den) combines the radical 人 (person) and the phonetic component 専 (sen), which implies “exclusively” or “specialized.” Together, it suggests the idea of “passing something on”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 商 (Shō) – The Kanji of Commerce and Trade 商 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), あきな(う) (Kunyomi) Meaning: commerce, trade, negotiate, sell The character 商 originally depicted a tall building, possibly a watchtower or a structure for storing goods, suggesting a place of exchange. Over time, its meaning evolved to represent commerce and trade.
JLPT N3 Kanji: 追 (ou/tsui) – Master the Art of Chasing and Pursuing! 追 Readings: ツイ (Onyomi), お.う, お.い, お.って (Kunyomi) Meaning: chase, pursue, follow, overtake The kanji 追 depicts a person (彳) following a footprint (止), symbolizing the act of chasing or pursuing. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
JLPT N3 Kanji: 限 – Limit & Restriction 限 Readings: ゲン (Onyomi), かぎ.る, かぎ.り (Kunyomi) Meaning: limit, restrict, boundary The kanji 限 combines 阜 (こざとへん), representing a mound or hill, and 艮 (こん), which signifies stopping or turning back. Together, they conceptually form the idea of setting a boundary or a limit, often suggesting a
JLPT N3 Kanji: 然 – Understanding “Natural” and “Thus” 然 Readings: ゼン, ネン (Onyomi), しか, しかる, さ (Kunyomi) Meaning: natural, like that, proper, certainly, thus Pictophonetic character. Originally depicted meat being roasted (top part like meat, bottom is fire). Borrowed for its sound to mean “thus,” “so,” or “like that.” The original meaning of “burning”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 例 – Understanding Examples, Customs, and Instances 例 Readings: レイ (Onyomi), ためし, たとえる, たとえ (Kunyomi) Meaning: example, custom, instance Originally a pictograph depicting a person (人) standing on a ritual vessel (呂, though simplified to レ in modern form), suggesting a rule, standard, or example to be followed. View JLPT N3 Kanji
JLPT N3 Kanji: 労 (ROU, ねぎら.う, いたわ.る) – Effort and Labor 労 Readings: ロウ (Onyomi), ねぎら.う, いたわ.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: labor, toil, trouble, effort, work The kanji 労 depicts strength (力) expended under a cover or roof, symbolizing the effort or toil of working. It conveys the idea of exerting oneself and the hardship involved in
JLPT N3 Kanji: 助 (たすける, たすかる, ジョ) – The Kanji of Help and Assistance 助 Readings: ジョ (Onyomi), たす.ける, たす.かる, すけ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Help, assist, save The kanji 助 is composed of the radical 力 (chikara), meaning “power” or “strength,” and the phonetic component 且 (sho), which originally depicted a helper or a tool. Combined,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 声 (Koe/Sei) – Voice, Sound 声 Readings: セイ, ショウ (Onyomi), こえ, こわ- (Kunyomi) Meaning: Voice, Sound The kanji 声 is said to have originally depicted a musical instrument or chime (士) with an element indicating sound being emitted. It evolved to represent “voice” or “sound.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to
JLPT N3 Kanji: 想 (sou, omo.u) – Imagine Your Japanese Skills Soaring! 想 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), おも.う, おも.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: thought, idea, imagine, consider A combination of 相 (しょう/そう – mutual, together, also phonetic component) and 心 (こころ – heart/mind). It represents thoughts or feelings originating from the heart or mind. View JLPT N3 Kanji
JLPT N3 Kanji: 残 (zan, noko-ru, noko-su) – To Remain, Leftovers 残 Readings: ザン (Onyomi), のこ-る, のこ-す (Kunyomi) Meaning: remain, the remainder, remnant, leave behind, stay behind The kanji 残 is formed from 歹 (bone, death, cruel) and 戈 (halberd, spear). The original meaning implies “to injure” or “to damage,” leading to “that which is
JLPT N3 Kanji: 乗 (noru, noseru) – Ride, Get On, Board 乗 Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), のる, のせる (Kunyomi) Meaning: ride, get on, board, counter for vehicles The kanji 乗 is a pictogram depicting a person (大) riding on a vehicle or cart. It originally represented a person mounting a chariot. View JLPT N3 Kanji List
JLPT N3 Kanji: 訪 (HOU, otozureru, tazuneru) – Mastering “Visit” 訪 Readings: ホウ (Onyomi), おとずれる, たずねる (Kunyomi) Meaning: visit, call on, inquire The kanji 訪 combines 言 (speech/word) and 方 (direction/way). The combination suggests going in a certain direction to speak to someone or to inquire, thus evolving to mean ‘to visit’ or ‘to call
JLPT N3 Kanji: 席 (Seki) – Mastering the Kanji for “Seat” 席 Readings: セキ (Onyomi), むしろ (Kunyomi) Meaning: seat, mat, place The kanji 席 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 广 (shelter/dwelling), representing a place, with 巾 (cloth/towel), which here functions as a phonetic component also implying something spread out. Together, it originally depicted a
JLPT N3 Kanji: 育 (iku, sodatsu) – Learn to Say “Raise” and “Grow” 育 Readings: いく (Onyomi), そだ.つ, そだ.てる, はぐく.む (Kunyomi) Meaning: raise, bring up, grow, educate A pictograph showing a child being brought up or nurtured. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 育 consists of 8 strokes.
JLPT N3 Kanji: 警 (kei) – Master the Kanji for Police, Warning, and Caution 警 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: warn, admonish, caution, police The kanji 警 is composed of 言 (word, speech) and 敬 (respect, reverence). The combination suggests ‘to warn’ or ‘to caution’ someone respectfully, or to be watchful and respectful of rules/danger.
