JLPT N1 Kanji: 償 (Shou, Tsugunau) – Compensation and Atonement 償 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), つぐな-う (Kunyomi) Meaning: compensate, atone, recompense, redeem The kanji 償 combines the radical 亻 (hito-hen, meaning “person”) with 貝 (kai, meaning “shell” or “money”) and 尚 (shou, a phonetic component indicating value or matching). Together, it depicts a person providing money […]
JLPT N1 Kanji: 弾 – Master the Meanings of Bounce, Play, and Bullet 弾 Readings: ダン (Onyomi), ひ.く, -び.き, はず.む, たま, はじ.く, はじ.ける (Kunyomi) Meaning: bullet, shot,弹 (弹) is a pictograph of a small ball, used for shooting with a bow. This character implies “ball,” “bullet,” “to shoot,” or “to bounce.” Formed from 弓 (bow)
JLPT N1 Kanji: 徴 (CHOU) – Sign, Indication, Collect 徴 Readings: チョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: sign, indication, mark, extract, collect, levy The kanji 徴 is composed of 彳 (chì – step, stride), representing movement, and 𧾷 (zhēng – to levy, collect, evidence), which provides the sound and the original meaning of taking or collecting. The
JLPT N1 Kanji: 秀 – Master “Excellent” and “Outstanding” 秀 Readings: シュウ (Onyomi), ひい.でる (Kunyomi) Meaning: excellent, outstanding, beautiful, flourishing The kanji 秀 (shū, hiideru) is formed from two components: 禾 (nogihen), meaning “grain” or “rice plant,” and 乃 (no), which here suggests the idea of “pulling out” or “standing out.” Together, it depicts a
JLPT N1 Kanji: 択 (Taku/Erabu) – The Kanji of Choice and Selection 択 Readings: タク (Onyomi), えら.ぶ (Kunyomi) Meaning: choose, select, prefer The kanji 択 combines the radical 手 (hand) with 尺 (shaku, a measure or ruler), which serves as the phonetic component. Together, it conveys the idea of “choosing” or “selecting” by hand, often
JLPT N1 Kanji: 請 – Request, Accept, Undertake 請 Readings: セイ, ショウ (Onyomi), こう, うけたまわ.る, う.ける (Kunyomi) Meaning: Request, ask, invite, please, accept, undertake Semantic-phonetic compound: 言 (word, speech) for meaning, and 青 (blue, green; also phonetic for Sei/Shō) for pronunciation. The “word” radical indicates asking or speech. View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to
JLPT N1 Kanji: 健 (ken, sukoyaka) – Health and Vigor 健 Readings: ケン (Onyomi), すこ-やか (Kunyomi) Meaning: healthy, strength, health The kanji 健 combines the radical 人 (person) and the component 建 (to build, establish). Together, it suggests a person who is well-built, strong, and in good health. View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to
JLPT N1 Kanji: 振 (ふ.る) – Shake, Wave, Swing 振 Readings: シン (Onyomi), ふ.る, ふ.り, ふ.るう (Kunyomi) Meaning: shake, wave, swing, sprinkle, cast (dice), give up, abandon, be rejected The kanji 振 combines the radical 手 (てへん), meaning “hand,” with the component 辰, which phonetically suggests movement or vibration (often associated with “dragon” or “time”).
JLPT N1 Kanji: 踏 (ふむ/トウ) – Mastering the Art of Stepping 踏 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), ふ.む, ふ.まえる (Kunyomi) Meaning: step on, tread, trample, set foot on Semantic-phonetic compound (形声文字). The radical 足 (あし – foot) provides the meaning, while 沓 (トウ/カツ – shoes/repeatedly) acts as the phonetic component and also contributes to the sense of
JLPT N1 Kanji: 源 – Unveiling the Source 源 Readings: ゲン (Onyomi), みなもと (Kunyomi) Meaning: source, origin, root The character 源 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 氵 (水), the radical for “water,” indicating its connection to flowing water, with 原 (gen), which acts as the phonetic component and also carries the meaning of “origin”
JLPT N1 Kanji: 葬 (SOU, houmu.ru) – Master the Kanji for Burial and Funerals 葬 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), ほうむ.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: Burial, interment, funeral The kanji 葬 (sou) is a phono-semantic compound. The top part 艹 (kusa-kanmuri) is the grass radical, hinting at plants or earth related to graves. The bottom part, though simplified, relates
JLPT N1 Kanji: 幕 (Boku, Maku) – Unveiling the Meanings of ‘Curtain’ and ‘Act’ 幕 Readings: ボク (Onyomi), まく, とばり (Kunyomi) Meaning: curtain, act (of a play), camp 形声文字 (Keisei moji). This character combines 巾 (kin/hatahoko, meaning “cloth” or “napkin”) and 莫 (baku, which provides the sound and originally meant “evening” or “darkness,” implying something
JLPT N1 Kanji: 染 – Mastering the Art of Dyeing and Contamination 染 Readings: セン (Onyomi), そ, し (Kunyomi) Meaning: Dye, stain, color, infect, contaminate A phono-semantic compound (形声字). Semantic component 氵 (water) + phonetic component 染 (sensible component indicating a heap/pile, hence something accumulated or soaked). Originally depicted a bundle of fibers being dyed
JLPT N1 Kanji: 奈 – Understanding Its Meanings and Usage 奈 Readings: ナ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Nara; what? (used in names, old interrogative) The kanji 奈 is said to derive from a pictograph of a tree (木) with large fruits (大), representing a specific type of fruit tree. It later evolved to be used phonetically,
JLPT N1 Kanji: 傷 (Kizu, Itamu, Shō) – Mastering Wounds, Damage, and Hurt 傷 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), きず, いたむ, いためる (Kunyomi) Meaning: wound, injury, hurt, damage, flaw The kanji 傷 combines the radical 人 (person) on the left, which gives the meaning related to people, and the component 殤 (shō), which means “to die young”
JLPT N1 Kanji: 監 (KAN) – Oversee, Supervise 監 Readings: カン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: supervise, observe, oversee, inspect, superintendent The character 監 (かん) is an ideogrammic compound. It combines 皿 (さら, “dish” or “basin,” often representing a mirror in ancient contexts) and 臣 (しん, “minister,” “subject,” or “eye,” suggesting someone looking down). Together, it implies
JLPT N1 Kanji: 評 (Hyou) – Evaluate, Criticize, Review 評 Readings: ヒョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: evaluate, criticize, review, comment The kanji 評 combines 言 (speech, word) with 𠄢 (pyeong), a phonetic component indicating flat or level, suggesting the idea of setting a standard or judging something evenly and fairly. It conveys the action of speaking
JLPT N1 Kanji: 抑 (Yoku, Osaeru, Somosomo) 抑 Readings: ヨク (Onyomi), おさえる, そもそも (Kunyomi) Meaning: suppress, restrain, check, repress, prevent; in the first place, or rather, anyway Phono-semantic compound (形声): semantic 扌 (hand) + phonetic 卯 (yokumitsu, suggesting pressing down or restraining). View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji
JLPT N1 Kanji: 為 (Tame, Nasu) – For the Sake of Mastery 為 Readings: イ (Onyomi), ため, な-る, な-す (Kunyomi) Meaning: for the sake of, to do, to make, to act, to become The character 為 (爲) originally depicted an elephant being led by a hand. This imagery conveyed the meaning of “to do,” “to
JLPT N1 Kanji: 我 (GA, WARE) – Mastering the Kanji for “Self” 我 Readings: ガ (Onyomi), われ, わ (Kunyomi) Meaning: I, me, self, ego The character depicts a hand holding a serrated weapon, symbolizing “self” or “I” as a distinct entity with its own power and assertion. View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write
