JLPT N3 Kanji: Learn 平 (hei/taira) for “Flat, Peace, Ordinary” 平 Readings: ヘイ, ビョウ (Onyomi), たいら, ひら (Kunyomi) Meaning: flat, even, peace, ordinary The character depicts something flat or level. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 平 is written with 5 strokes. Start with the top horizontal stroke, […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: 機 (Ki / Hata) – Machine, Opportunity 機 Readings: キ (Onyomi), はた (Kunyomi) Meaning: machine, occasion, chance, mechanism The kanji 機 combines 木 (tree/wood) representing material, and 幾 (how many/a few, also implying subtle movement). Together, it depicts a wooden device with intricate parts and movements, leading to meanings of machine, mechanism,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 和 (Wa) – Harmony, Japan, Peace 和 Readings: ワ, オ (Onyomi), やわ, なご, あえる (Kunyomi) Meaning: harmony, peace, Japan, sum The kanji 和 combines 禾 (grain, rice plant) and 口 (mouth, opening). It originally represented a type of flute made from stalks or perhaps the sound of harmony produced by different instruments,
JLPT N3 Kanji: Master 都 (miyako, to) – Capital & Metropolis 都 Readings: ト, ツ (Onyomi), みやこ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Capital, metropolis, city, all, everything The kanji 都 (tō) is formed by combining the radical 邑 (むら, village, town, city) and the component 者 (もの, person, thing, but here acts as a phonetic component that also
JLPT N3 Kanji: Learn 「取」 (toru) – To Take, To Get 取 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), と.る, と.り, と.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: take, fetch, get, obtain, collect, choose The kanji 取 is a pictograph representing a hand (又) taking an ear (耳). It originally depicted taking an enemy’s ear as a trophy. View JLPT N3 Kanji List
JLPT N3 Kanji: 期 (KI) – Understanding “Period, Time, Term” 期 Readings: キ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: period, time, date, term The kanji 期 is composed of the radical 月 (つきへん), often associated with “month” or “moon cycles,” and 其 (き), which serves as a phonetic component and also carries the nuance of “that” or “a
JLPT N3 Kanji: 成 – Master the Kanji for “Become” and “Achieve” 成 Readings: セイ, ジョウ (Onyomi), な.る, な.す, -な.す, なり, なる (Kunyomi) Meaning: become, turn into, achieve, complete Pictograph of a person and a weapon, implying completion or achievement. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 成 is
JLPT N3 Kanji: 務 (Mu) – Duty & Service 務 Readings: ム (Onyomi), つと.める, つと.まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Duty, business, task, affairs, service The kanji 務 combines 矛 (hoko, spear) with 力 (chikara, power/strength). Originally, it referred to military service or duties involving strength and weapons. Over time, its meaning broadened to encompass general duties, tasks,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 治 – Mastering “Govern, Cure, Heal” 治 Readings: チ, ジ (Onyomi), なお.す, なお.る, おさ.める, おさ.まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Govern, cure, heal, reign, administer, peace The kanji 治 combines the water radical (水) and the phonetic component 台 (dai/tai), which also implies “stand” or “platform.” This combination suggests the control or management of water
JLPT N3 Kanji: Master 「制」 (Sei) – System, Control, Law 制 Readings: セイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: system, institution, control, command, regulation, law, rule 形声 (けいせい – phono-semantic compound). From 衣 (clothing) + 刀 (knife), originally depicting cutting out a pattern for clothes, implying making, establishing, or regulating. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N3 Kanji: Master 要 (YŌ, Iru, Kaname) – Essential & Need 要 Readings: ヨウ (Onyomi), かなめ, いる (Kunyomi) Meaning: essential, need, main point, demand, require The kanji 要 (yào) combines a picture of a woman (女) with a stylized representation of her waist/loins (the upper part resembling a sash or belt, similar to the
JLPT N3 Kanji: 的 (teki / mato) – Hit the Mark with This Versatile Kanji! 的 Readings: テキ (Onyomi), まと (Kunyomi) Meaning: Target, mark, aim; (suffix) -like, -ish, -al The kanji 的 depicts an arrow (矢) hitting a white (白) target. It originally meant “target” or “aim.” Over time, it evolved to function as a
JLPT N3 Kanji: 性 – Exploring Sex, Gender, and Nature 性 Readings: セイ, ショウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: sex, gender, nature, character The kanji 性 is a semantic-phonetic compound. It combines the radical 忄 (a variant of 心, meaning “heart” or “mind”), which indicates meaning related to inherent qualities or feelings, with 生 (shō/sei, meaning “life,”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 法 – Mastering Law, Method, and Rules 法 Readings: ホウ (Onyomi), のり (Kunyomi) Meaning: law, method, rule, way The kanji 法 combines 氵 (water radical, indicating flow or standard) and 去 (meaning to go away or remove). It suggests “that which is set forth to flow (smoothly/correctly), rules, regulations, law.” View JLPT
JLPT N3 Kanji: 首 (kubi, SHU) – Mastering the Head and Leader! 首 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), くび (Kunyomi) Meaning: Neck, head, leader, first The kanji 首 is a pictograph of a head, showing the hair on top and the features of the face. Over time, it evolved to represent the neck and, by extension, the
JLPT N3 Kanji: 約 (YAKU) – Promise, Approximately, Contract 約 Readings: ヤク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: promise, approximately, contract, condense, reduce The kanji 約 combines the “thread” radical (糸) on the left with 勺 (shaku – a ladle, a measure). The original meaning related to tying up or binding. This evolved to mean making an agreement,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 当 (Tō, Ataru, Ateru) – Hit, Target, Appropriate 当 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), あ.たる, あ.てる (Kunyomi) Meaning: hit, be on target, appropriate, bear, apply, per A phono-semantic compound. The original character is said to depict a person hitting a drum, signifying ‘hit’ or ‘strike.’ It evolved to encompass meanings of being ‘on target,’
JLPT N3 Kanji: 化 – Master the Character for Change and Transformation 化 Readings: カ, ケ (Onyomi), ば.ける, ば.かす, ふ.ける, け.する (Kunyomi) Meaning: Change, convert, transform, enchant, -ize, influence, take the form of The character 化 combines 人 (rén) “person” and 匕 (bǐ), which often represents an “inverted person.” This visually represents transformation or change
JLPT N3 Kanji: 調 (chō, shiraberu) – Investigate, Tune, Arrange 調 Readings: チョウ (Onyomi), しら, しらべ, ととの, ととのう (Kunyomi) Meaning: investigate, tune, negotiate, prepare, adjust, arrange The kanji 調 combines 言 (word, speech) and 周 (around, circumference). This combination suggests the idea of going around and collecting information with words, leading to meanings like “investigate,”
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
