JLPT N3 Kanji: 身 (mi, shin) – Mastering “Body” and “Self” 身 Readings: シン (Onyomi), み (Kunyomi) Meaning: body; person; oneself The kanji 身 is a pictograph depicting a pregnant woman with a large belly, emphasizing the body or self. It has evolved over time but retains this core meaning of a physical body or […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: 割 (Wari, Katsu) – Divide, Split, Discount 割 Readings: カツ (Onyomi), わ.る, わり, わ.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: divide, split, separate, proportion, discount, break, crack The kanji 割 combines the radical 刀 (katana/sword), representing a knife or cutting tool, with 害 (gai), which originally depicted a house being cut or damaged. Together, they convey
JLPT N3 Kanji: 構 (kou) – Structure, Set Up, Compose 構 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), かま.える, かま.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: structure, construct, compose, set up, appearance The kanji 構 is formed by combining 木 (ki – tree/wood), representing something made of wood, and 冓 (kou – to cross, entwine), which depicts interlocking beams or a complex structure.
JLPT N3 Kanji: 役 (yaku) – Unlocking Roles, Duties, and Service 役 Readings: ヤク, エキ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: role, duty, service, office The kanji 役 originally depicted a person (彳) holding a weapon or tool (殳), signifying service, duty, or an assigned task. Over time, its meaning evolved to represent roles, duties, and functions. View
JLPT N3 Kanji: 供 (KYOU, tomo) – Companion, Offer 供 Readings: キョウ, ク (Onyomi), とも, そな.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: companion, offer, attendant, submit The character 供 combines the radical 人 (にんべん – person) on the left with the component 共 (とも – together, both) on the right. This suggests the meaning of someone who is ‘with’
JLPT N3 Kanji: 与 (YO, あたえる) – Give, Provide, Participate 与 Readings: ヨ (Onyomi), あた(える), あずか(る) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Give, provide, participate, involve, bestow A pictograph depicting two hands passing or offering something to another, or tools being used to share/distribute. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 与 is
JLPT N3 Kanji: 職 (Shoku) – Understanding “Occupation” 職 Readings: ショク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: occupation, job, post The kanji 職 originally combined elements representing a person (臣) and clothing (衣, later simplified), implying a role or duty related to one’s position or work. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The
JLPT N3 Kanji: 球 (kyuu / tama) – The Ball of Knowledge! 球 Readings: キュウ (Onyomi), たま (Kunyomi) Meaning: ball, sphere, globe 形声文字 (Keisei moji). Formed from 玉 (gyoku – jewel, meaning component indicating roundness) and 求 (kyuu – seek, phonetic component). It combines the idea of a round object with a phonetic clue, leading
JLPT N3 Kanji: 状 – Mastering “State” and “Condition” 状 Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: state, status, condition, appearance, form The kanji 状 originally depicted a dog with its tail curled up, representing its “state” or “form.” Over time, it evolved to abstractly signify “condition,” “appearance,” or “status.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to
JLPT N3 Kanji: 常 – Master the Meaning of ‘Normal’ and ‘Constant’ 常 Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), つね, とこ (Kunyomi) Meaning: normal, usual, ordinary, constant, always The kanji 常 combines 尚 (shou), meaning ‘still’ or ‘elevated,’ and 巾 (kin), meaning ‘cloth.’ The original meaning referred to a flag or banner that was always present or fluttering,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 放 (hou) – Release, Set Free, Broadcast 放 Readings: ホウ (Onyomi), はな-す, はな-つ, はな-れる, ほう-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: release, set free, discharge, emit, banish, let go The kanji 放 is composed of two parts: 方 (ほう), meaning “direction” or “square,” and 攵 (ぼく), which is a radical meaning “to strike” or “action.” Together,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 局 (Kyoku) – Mastering Bureaus, Offices, and Situations 局 Readings: キョク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Bureau, office, board, department, limited area, station, game The kanji 局 originally depicted an enclosed space or a bent object. Over time, it came to represent specific confined areas, departments, offices, or a particular situation within a limited
JLPT N3 Kanji: 過 (ka, su.giru) – Pass, Over, Exceed! 過 Readings: カ (Onyomi), す.ぎる, す.ごす, あやま.つ, あやま.ち (Kunyomi) Meaning: pass, over, exceed, error, fault Formed from 辶 (しんにょう), meaning “walk” or “movement,” and 咼 (か), which is a phonetic component suggesting “crookedness” or “passing by.” Together, it represents the idea of “passing over” or
JLPT N3 Kanji: 疑 (gi, utaga.u) – Demystifying Doubt and Suspicion 疑 Readings: ギ (Onyomi), うたが.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: doubt, suspicion, question The kanji 疑 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 疋 (shǐ), depicting a “leg” or “foot,” and the phonetic component 矣 (yǐ), which originally represented a “person with bound feet” or “a person walking
JLPT N3 Kanji: 格 (kaku) – Unlocking Status, Price, and Personality! 格 Readings: カク, コウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Status, rank, character, rule, standard, case (grammar), price The kanji 格 combines the radical 木 (tree) with 各 (each/every), which suggests “form” or “pattern.” Together, it represents the framework or structure, evolving to mean “status,” “rank,” “rule,”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 置 – Mastering the Kanji for “Place” and “Put” 置 Readings: チ (Onyomi), おく (Kunyomi) Meaning: place, put, set The kanji 置 combines the radical 罒 (あみめ – net/eye radical, often representing a flat surface or container) and 直 (なおす – straight, to correct). It visually represents placing something straight or correctly
JLPT N3 Kanji: 位 (I, kurai) – Master Rank, Position, and Approximation! 位 Readings: イ (Onyomi), くらい, ぐらい (Kunyomi) Meaning: rank, position, grade, status, about, some The kanji 位 originally depicted a person (人) standing on a platform or a stand. This visual representation suggests the idea of a “position” or “rank,” where one stands
JLPT N3 Kanji: 能 (nou) – Mastering Ability and Performance 能 Readings: ノウ (Onyomi), あた.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: Ability, talent, skill, performance, Noh (theatre) The character originally depicted a bear, symbolizing its strength and capability. Over time, it evolved to represent “ability,” “talent,” and “skill.” It also gained the meaning of “Noh” (traditional Japanese theatrical art),
JLPT N3 Kanji: 談 (dan) – Discuss, Talk 談 Readings: ダン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: discuss, talk The kanji 談 is a combination of 言 (word, speech) and 炎 (flame). The 言 radical gives the meaning of “speech” or “words,” while 炎, though meaning “flame,” is used here phonetically to represent a sound or an intense
JLPT N3 Kanji: 争 (Arasou, Sou) – Mastering Conflict and Competition 争 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), あらそ.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: fight, contend, dispute, conflict The kanji 争 combines the radical 爪 (tsume), meaning “claws” or “hand,” and a component that represents “to give” or “to participate” (originally a depiction of two hands pulling something). This combination visually
