Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 姓 (SEI) – Understanding Surnames and Family Names 姓 Readings: セイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: surname, family name, clan The kanji 姓 combines the radical 女 (woman) and the component 生 (birth, life). Historically, in ancient China, surnames were often inherited through the female line or associated with matriarchal clans, thus linking […]
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 麦 (Mugi) – Wheat, Barley, Oats 麦 Readings: バク (Onyomi), むぎ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Wheat, Barley, Oats The kanji 麦 is a pictograph depicting a plant with ears of grain, resembling wheat or barley. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The stroke order for 麦 begins with
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 磨 (miga.ku) – To Polish & Refine 磨 Readings: マ (Onyomi), みが.く (Kunyomi) Meaning: To polish, to grind, to rub, to brush (teeth), to refine (skills) The kanji 磨 combines 石 (stone) on the left, which signifies the material being worked on, and 麻 (hemp/rubbing) on the right, which suggests the
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 辛 (Spicy, Bitter, Hard) 辛 Readings: シン (Onyomi), から.い, つら.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: spicy, hot; bitter, harsh, painful The character 辛 (shīn) is an ideogram depicting a tattooing or cutting tool, possibly a chisel or needle, used in ancient China for marking criminals or slaves. This association with punishment and hardship gave
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 灯 (tō, akari) – The Kanji for Light and Lamp 灯 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), とも.す, ひ, あかり (Kunyomi) Meaning: lamp, light The kanji 灯 originally depicted a lamp or a light source. The top part represents a lampstand or a container, and the bottom part is the radical for fire (火),
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 隅 (sumi) – Corner, Nook 隅 Readings: (Onyomi), すみ (Kunyomi) Meaning: corner, nook, remote place, secluded spot The kanji 隅 is formed from the radical 阝 (こざとへん), meaning “mound” or “corner of a wall/fence,” and the phonetic component 禺 (ぐう), which itself can mean “corner.” Together, they represent a “corner” or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 泥 (doro/DEI) – Diving into Muddy Waters 泥 Readings: デイ (Onyomi), どろ (Kunyomi) Meaning: mud, dirt, mire Phono-semantic compound. The radical 氵 (water) indicates the semantic field. The phonetic component 尼 (ni) depicts a kneeling person, implying “low” or “base,” contributing to the meaning of “mud” or “mire” as dirty, low-lying
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 鈍 (don, nibui) – Mastering the Meaning of Dull and Slow 鈍 Readings: ドン (Onyomi), にぶ.い, なま.る, なまく.ら (Kunyomi) Meaning: Dull, slow, obtuse, blunt, clumsy The kanji 鈍 combines 金 (metal) and 屯 (tun – a phonetic component indicating thickness or dullness). This suggests a metal that is thick, heavy, or
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 耕 (KOU / tagayasu) – Cultivate, Till, Plow 耕 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), たがや-す (Kunyomi) Meaning: cultivate, till, plow The radical 耒 (plow) on the left depicts a plowing tool. The right part, 井 (well), acts as a phonetic component and possibly suggests regularity or a grid-like field pattern. Together, it represents
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 肌 (hada) – Skin, Body, Texture 肌 Readings: (Onyomi), はだ (Kunyomi) Meaning: skin, body, texture The kanji 肌 is formed from two components: 月 (niku-zuki), which represents “flesh” or “body,” and 己 (ko), which here acts as a phonetic component that also subtly implies “self” or “private.” Together, they visually suggest
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 蒸 (Jou, Musu) – The Kanji for Steam! 蒸 Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), む.す, む.らす, む.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: steam; to steam; humid The kanji 蒸 combines 臼 (mortar) with 烝 (a component representing rising steam/heat, composed of 丞 (to assist, here indicating rising) and 火 (fire) at the bottom). It visually depicts
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 脂 (abura, shi) – Mastering the Kanji for “Fat” 脂 Readings: シ (Onyomi), あぶら (Kunyomi) Meaning: fat, grease, tallow The radical 月 (niku-zuki, meaning “meat” or “flesh”) indicates a connection to the body or meat. The right part 旨 (shi/mune, meaning “delicious” or “essence”) acts as a phonetic component that also
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 隻 (Seki) – Counter for Ships and More 隻 Readings: セキ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Counter for ships, boats, fish, birds, textiles; one of a pair The kanji 隻 originates from a pictogram depicting a bird with only one leg (a common depiction for birds standing or landing). This imagery evolved to
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 缶 (Kan) – The Can! 缶 Readings: カン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Can, tin can A pictograph of a small jar or pot with a lid, depicting a container. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 缶 has 6 strokes. It starts with the two horizontal
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 召 (mesu, shou) – Summon, Call, Invite 召 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), め-す, めし- (Kunyomi) Meaning: summon, call, send for, invite, wear, buy (honorific) The kanji 召 depicts a person (刀, a variant of 人) kneeling or standing under a mouth (口). It originally meant “to call, summon, or invite someone from
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 咲 (Saku) – To Bloom & Blossom 咲 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), さ.く, さき (Kunyomi) Meaning: Bloom, blossom Derived from 口 (mouth/opening) and 笑 (laugh/smile), representing the opening of a flower like a mouth smiling. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 咲 has 9 strokes.
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 瓶 瓶 Readings: ビン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: bottle, jar, vial The kanji 瓶 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left component 缶 (かん) denotes a container, specifically an earthenware or metal vessel. The right component 竝 (へい/びょう), pronounced “bin” in this context, serves as a phonetic element, contributing to the “bin” sound.
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 湿 (Shitsu) – Master the Kanji for “Wet” and “Damp” 湿 Readings: シツ (Onyomi), しめ.る, しめ.す, うるお.う, うるお.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: wet, damp, moist The kanji 湿 is formed by combining the water radical (氵) on the left, which clearly relates to liquids and moisture, and the phonetic component 𠙵 on the
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 銅 (Dou) – Mastering the Kanji for Copper 銅 Readings: ドウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Copper The kanji 銅 combines 金 (metal) and 同 (same, alike), where 同 serves as a phonetic component. It historically referred to a metal of similar color or quality, specifically copper. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 汗 (ase) – Sweat 汗 Readings: カン (Onyomi), あせ (Kunyomi) Meaning: sweat The kanji 汗 is a phono-semantic compound. The left radical 氵 (sanzui) signifies “water,” indicating the meaning. The right component 干 (kan) primarily serves as a phonetic element, though it can also conceptually link to water being expelled or
