JLPT N3 Kanji: 現 (Gen) – Appearance, Reality, and Expression 現 Readings: ゲン (Onyomi), あらわ, あらわれる, あらわす (Kunyomi) Meaning: present, actual; to appear, to show up, to express The kanji 現 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines ⾒ (mi, “to see”) as the semantic component and ⽞ (gen, “dark, profound”) as the phonetic component. This […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: Master 最 (sai, motto mo) – The Kanji for ‘Most’ & ‘Best’ 最 Readings: サイ (Onyomi), もっとも (Kunyomi) Meaning: most, best, extreme The kanji 最 is composed of two parts: 曰 (ひらび – “to say” or “sun,” here suggesting the ‘ultimate’ or ‘highest’ point) and the bottom part 冒 (ぼう – “to
JLPT N3 Kanji: 経 (Kei/Kyou) – Pass Through, Manage 経 Readings: ケイ, キョウ (Onyomi), へる, たつ, つね (Kunyomi) Meaning: go through, elapsed, longitude, manage, thread, warp The character 経 combines 糸 (thread) and 巠 (a loom or “pass through”). It depicts threads passing through a loom, forming the warp. This gives rise to meanings related
JLPT N3 Kanji: 戦 (Sen/Tatakau) – War, Battle, Fight 戦 Readings: セン (Onyomi), いくさ, たたか.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: War, battle, fight The character 戦 is composed of 戈 (hoko – spear/halberd) and 単 (tan – a phonetic component indicating ‘single’ or ‘alone’, here suggesting something ‘violent’ or ‘cutting’). Together, they depict a weapon (spear) in conflict,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 表 (hyō, omote) – Understanding “Surface, Express” 表 Readings: ヒョウ (Onyomi), おもて, あらわす, あらわれる (Kunyomi) Meaning: surface, front, outside, to express, to show The kanji 表 is said to be a pictograph of an outer garment or vest, emphasizing the “surface” or “outside.” This meaning extended to “to show” or “to express”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 全 (zen) – Mastering “All” and “Whole” 全 Readings: ゼン (Onyomi), まった.く, すべ.て (Kunyomi) Meaning: All, whole, entire, complete The kanji 全 (zen) is composed of 人 (human) and 工 (tool/work), which originally depicted a person completing a task or an entire set of tools. It evolved to mean “whole” or “complete.”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 決 (Ketsu) – Master ‘Decide’ and ‘Determine’ 決 Readings: ケツ (Onyomi), き.める, き.まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Decide, determine, fix, agree, resolve The kanji 決 (ketsu) combines the radical 氵 (water) and 夬 (kai), which originally depicted a “bowstring release” or “decision.” The water radical suggests “to flow out, to well up, to pour,”
JLPT N3 Kanji: Learn 「関」 – Barrier, Connection & Concern 関 Readings: カン (Onyomi), せき, -ぜき, かか.わる (Kunyomi) Meaning: barrier, gateway, relation, concern The kanji 関 (かん) is formed by combining 門 (もん – gate) with a depiction of a bolt or bar across it, symbolizing a barrier or a point of connection/closure. It evolved
JLPT N3 Kanji: Learn 実 (jitsu, mi) – Meaning, Readings, and Usage 実 Readings: ジツ (Onyomi), み, みのる (Kunyomi) Meaning: reality, truth, fruit, content, kindness The kanji 実 is a pictograph of a house (宀) with something fruitful or ripe inside. It represents something substantial, true, or a fruit/seed, emphasizing the idea of “reality” or
JLPT N3 Kanji: 米 (Kome/Bei) – Rice & America 米 Readings: ベイ, マイ (Onyomi), こめ, よね (Kunyomi) Meaning: Rice, America The kanji 米 is a pictograph representing grains of rice. The four dots symbolize individual grains, and the cross structure suggests the stalks or the way rice grains are separated. View JLPT N3 Kanji List
JLPT N3 Kanji: 選 (えらぶ, セン) – To Choose, Select, Elect 選 Readings: セン (Onyomi), えら.ぶ (Kunyomi) Meaning: choose, select, elect, prefer The kanji 選 combines the radical ⻌ (しんにょう – “movement” or “road”) with 艮 (ごん – an old character meaning “to stop” or “to be still”, also serving as a phonetic component). The
JLPT N3 Kanji: 回 – Master “Times, Revolve” 回 Readings: カイ, エ (Onyomi), まわ.る, まわ.す, まわ.り (Kunyomi) Meaning: Times, round, game, revolve, counter for occurrences The kanji 回 is a pictograph depicting a whirlpool or something turning and enclosing, representing the idea of “going around” or “returning.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N3 Kanji: 定 (Tei, Sadameru) – Determine, Fix, Establish 定 Readings: テイ, ジョウ (Onyomi), さだ.める, さだ.まる, さだ.か (Kunyomi) Meaning: determine, fix, establish, decide The character 定 combines 宀 (ukanmuri, meaning ‘roof’ or ‘house’) and 正 (shō, meaning ‘correct’ or ‘right’). This combination originally depicted a house with a proper, fixed foundation, implying stability, permanence,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 相 相 Readings: ソウ, ショウ (Onyomi), あ.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: mutual, reciprocal, together, aspect, phase, inter- The kanji 相 is composed of 目 (eye) and 木 (tree). Its original meaning is “to look at a tree carefully” or “to examine closely,” which then extended to “appearance,” “aspect,” and “mutual” (looking at each other).
JLPT N3 Kanji: 内 (Nai/Uchi) – Mastering “Inside” and “Within” 内 Readings: ナイ, ダイ (Onyomi), うち (Kunyomi) Meaning: Inside, within, private, house, among The kanji 内 is a pictogram representing a person (入) inside an enclosure or boundary (冂), thus conveying the meaning of “inside” or “within.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N3 Kanji: 市 (Shi, Ichi) – City, Market 市 Readings: シ (Onyomi), いち (Kunyomi) Meaning: City, market A pictograph of an open ground where people gathered for trade, representing a marketplace or city. It depicts a cross (十) for crossroads/gathering place and a cloth (巾) for goods being displayed. View JLPT N3 Kanji List
JLPT N3 Kanji: 合 (Gō) – Master the Kanji for “Fit,” “Join,” and “Combine” 合 Readings: ゴウ, ガッ, カッ (Onyomi), あ.う, あ.わす, あ.わせる (Kunyomi) Meaning: fit, suit, join, meet, combine, unite, match The character 合 (gòu) originally depicted a lid fitting perfectly over a container. It signifies “to fit,” “to join,” or “to combine.” View
JLPT N3 Kanji: 部 (Bu) – Master “Part, Section, Department” 部 Readings: ブ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: part, section, department, bureau The kanji 部 combines 咅 (bù), which indicates sound or division, and 邑 (yì), meaning “city” or “district”. Originally, it referred to a division or section within a city, and its meaning evolved to encompass
JLPT N3 Kanji: 対 (tai) – Mastering Opposite & Contrast 対 Readings: タイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: opposite, vs., to, anti-, for, in contrast, pair The kanji 対 (たい) is a pictogram depicting two people standing opposite each other. The top part, 业, represents two figures face to face, while the bottom part, 寸, means “thumb”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 連 (ren) – Connecting Your Japanese Knowledge! 連 Readings: レン (Onyomi), つら.なる, つら.ねる, つ.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: take along, lead, join, connect, link, party, group, company The kanji 連 is formed from the radical 辶 (shinnyō), meaning “movement” or “road,” and the component 車 (sha), representing a “chariot” or “cart.” Historically, 車 in
