JLPT N1 Kanji: 郎 – Understanding the Character for “Man” and “Son” 郎 Readings: ロウ (Onyomi), いらつめ, いらつこ, おとこ, を, つこ, つめ, いら, ろ, ら, をり (Kunyomi) Meaning: Man, son, fellow, husband The kanji 郎 is composed of 良 (ryō: good, young man) and 邑 (yū: village, town, often simplified to 阝 on the right […]
JLPT N1 Kanji: 郎 – Mastering the Kanji for “Man” and “Son” 郎 Readings: ロウ, リョウ (Onyomi), おとこ, いらつ (Kunyomi) Meaning: son, man, husband, fellow, young man, gentleman The kanji 郎 (ロウ) is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 艮 (こん), which contributes to the sound and vaguely suggests “good” or “firm,” and 邑 (おおざと), the
JLPT N1 Kanji: 批 (Hi) – Mastering Criticism and Review 批 Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: criticism, comment, review, judgment 形声文字 (けいせいもじ). 意符「手」(手で操作すること)と音符「比」(ならべる、くらべる)。手を使って比べたり判断したりする意味から、「批判する」「判定する」などの意味に発展しました。 View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 批 has 7 strokes. Start with the left-hand radical (手) strokes, then the right side (比). The first stroke
JLPT N1 Kanji: 系 (KEI) – Understanding Systems and Connections 系 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: System, lineage, family, group, series, connection, relation A pictograph of threads being spun together, symbolizing connection, lineage, or a system. View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The stroke order for 系 starts with the
JLPT N1 Kanji: 摘 (tsumu, teki) – Pluck, Pick, Pinch, Summarize 摘 Readings: テキ (Onyomi), つ.む (Kunyomi) Meaning: Pluck, pick, pinch, nip, summarize 形声文字 (Phono-semantic character). The left component 手 (hand) provides the semantic hint related to actions done with hands, while the right component 啇 acts as the phonetic component. View JLPT N1 Kanji
JLPT N1 Kanji: 激 (Geki / Hageshii) – Master the Kanji for “Intense” 激 Readings: ゲキ (Onyomi), はげ-しい (Kunyomi) Meaning: Violent, intense, fierce, stimulate, agitate, excite 形声文字 (Keisei moji – Phono-semantic character). The left side 氵 (水 – water) indicates a water-related meaning, suggesting motion like rushing water. The right side 敫 (キョウ – kyō)
JLPT N1 Kanji: 離 (ri, hanareru, hanasu) – Mastering Separation and Distance 離 Readings: リ (Onyomi), はな-れる, はな-す (Kunyomi) Meaning: To separate, to part, to detach, to leave, to be absent, to disjoin. The character is composed of 离 (lì – an old character depicting a bird of prey or a mythical bird, also meaning
JLPT N1 Kanji: 憲 (ken) – Constitution, Law, Decree 憲 Readings: ケン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: constitution, law, decree The kanji 憲 (ken) is a complex character composed of several elements that contribute to its meaning of “constitution” or “law.” It combines 宀 (roof, representing a house or office), 害 (meaning harm, limit, or rule, but
JLPT N1 Kanji: 及 – Reach, Extend, Affect 及 Readings: キュウ (Onyomi), およ.ぶ, およ.び, およ.ぼす (Kunyomi) Meaning: reach, extend, affect, come up to, comparison, and A pictograph of a hand reaching out to something or someone, symbolizing “reaching” or “extending.” View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 及 is
JLPT N1 Kanji: 催 (SAI, moyoo.su) – Master the Art of Holding Events and Feelings 催 Readings: サイ (Onyomi), もよお.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: to hold (an event, meeting); to host; to promote; to urge; to incite; to feel (an urge, symptom) The kanji 催 is composed of the radical 人 (person) on the left, indicating human
JLPT N1 Kanji: 授 (sazu.keru, JU) – Imparting Knowledge & Receiving Blessings 授 Readings: ジュ (Onyomi), さず.ける, さず.かる (Kunyomi) Meaning: impart, instruct, grant, confer A phono-semantic compound (形声字). It combines 手 (hand, indicating action) with 受 (receive, acting as a phonetic component). Together, it conveys the idea of giving or imparting something with one’s hand.
JLPT N1 Kanji: 督 – Master Directing and Supervising 督 Readings: トク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: direct, supervise, command, urge, instruct The kanji 督 combines the radical 目 (め), meaning ‘eye,’ and the phonetic component 叔 (しゅく/おじ), which implies ‘to observe’ or ‘to oversee.’ Together, the kanji conveys the sense of looking over, directing, or supervising
JLPT N1 Kanji: 崎 – Master the “Cape” Kanji 崎 Readings: キ (Onyomi), さき, さい, みさき (Kunyomi) Meaning: cape, promontory, peninsula The kanji 崎 combines 山 (yama, mountain) and 奇 (ki, strange/unusual). The 山 radical indicates a landform, while 奇 acts as a phonetic component and possibly suggests an unusual or distinctive shape, like a
JLPT N1 Kanji: 攻 (Kō, Se-meru) – Attack, Assault, Major 攻 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), せ.める (Kunyomi) Meaning: attack, assault, invade, conquer, major (field of study) The kanji 攻 combines 𠂤 (a phonetic component that can represent a small mound or hill) and 殳 (ほこづくり), which means “weapon” or “lance.” The combination suggests “attacking with a
JLPT N1 Kanji: 討 (TŌ, u.tsu) – Discuss, Attack, Avenge 討 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), う.つ (Kunyomi) Meaning: chastise, attack, subjugate, avenge, discuss, investigate The kanji 討 combines 言 (word, speech) and 寸 (a hand/thumb, often indicating a small amount or action, but here possibly related to “to strike” or “to act upon”). It suggests the
JLPT N1 Kanji: 士 – The Spirit of Warriors and Scholars 士 Readings: シ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: gentleman, samurai, warrior, scholar A pictogram of an axe or a tool, symbolizing a person of specialized skill or profession, which evolved to mean scholar or warrior. View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
JLPT N1 Kanji: 器 – Master the Meanings of Container, Instrument, and Capacity 器 Readings: キ (Onyomi), うつわ (Kunyomi) Meaning: container, vessel, instrument, ability, capacity The kanji 器 originally depicts multiple containers or dishes arranged together, symbolizing various implements or vessels. The top part (囗) suggests an enclosure, and the bottom component (皿) means “dish”
JLPT N1 Kanji: 推 – Master the Meanings of Inference, Support, and Push 推 Readings: スイ (Onyomi), お.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: infer, surmise, conjecture, deduce, support, recommend, push The kanji 推 combines the radical 扌 (tehen, meaning “hand,” implying action or movement) with 隹 (furu-tori, a phonetic component representing a short-tailed bird, also suggesting movement or
JLPT N1 Kanji: 響 (Kyō / Hibiku) – Mastering Sound and Influence 響 Readings: キョウ (Onyomi), ひびく (Kunyomi) Meaning: echo, sound, vibrate, resound, ring, affect, influence The kanji 響 (kyō) is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 音 (oto), meaning “sound,” which acts as the semantic component, and 郷 (kyō), which means “village” or “countryside” and
JLPT N1 Kanji: 渉 – Master its Meanings and Usage 渉 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), わた(る), わた(す) (Kunyomi) Meaning: To ford, to cross, to negotiate, to involve The character combines the radical 氵 (water), indicating water, with 歩 (walk), indicating movement. It originally depicted “walking across water” or “wading.” Over time, its meaning expanded to encompass
