Master advanced Japanese grammar with our comprehensive JLPT N1 Kanji guides. Includes detailed explanations, native-level examples, and practice exercises to help you succeed in the JLPT N1 exam.
JLPT N1 Kanji: 需 – Understanding Need and Demand 需 Readings: ジュ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: need, demand, request, require The kanji 需 is composed of 雨 (rain) and 而 (a phonetic component often meaning “and then” or “thus”). The original meaning relates to the “need” or “demand” for rain, which expanded to a general sense […]
JLPT N1 Kanji: 節 – Understanding Seasons, Joints, and More 節 Readings: セツ, セチ (Onyomi), ふし, のり (Kunyomi) Meaning: node, joint, season, occasion, paragraph, counter for sections The kanji 節 combines 竹 (bamboo) and 卩 (a kneeling person, often associated with a seal or a section). It visually represents the distinct joints of bamboo, extending
JLPT N1 Kanji 緩: Master “Slack, Loosen, Relax” 緩 Readings: カン (Onyomi), ゆる.い, ゆる.む, ゆる.める, ゆる.やか (Kunyomi) Meaning: slack, loosen, relax, abate, be lenient The kanji 緩 combines the radical 糸 (ito, meaning “thread” or “silk”) with 爰 (en, meaning “slowly, gently” or serving as a phonetic component). The thread radical often relates to things
JLPT N1 Kanji: 沖 (おき/チュウ) – Navigating the Open Sea 沖 Readings: チュウ (Onyomi), おき (Kunyomi) Meaning: Open sea, offing, offshore A phono-semantic character (形声文字, keisei moji). Formed from the radical 氵 (水, water), indicating its relation to water, and 中 (チュウ, middle/center) as the phonetic component, suggesting the sound and conceptually ‘in the middle
JLPT N1 Kanji: 露 – Mastering “Dew,” “Russia,” and “Exposure” 露 Readings: ロ, ロウ (Onyomi), つゆ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Dew, Russia, exposure, reveal The kanji 露 is composed of 雨 (rain) at the top, and 路 (road/path) at the bottom. The original meaning combines these elements to suggest “dew” or “moisture on a path/open ground,” leading
JLPT N1 Kanji: 恵 (めぐむ, ケイ) – Blessing & Wisdom 恵 Readings: ケイ, エ (Onyomi), めぐ-む, めぐ-み (Kunyomi) Meaning: favor, grace, blessing, kindness, wisdom The kanji 恵 is composed of 彗 (a broom, indicating clearing or sweeping away) and 心 (heart). It originally depicted a compassionate heart that bestows blessings or wisdom, suggesting benevolence, favor,
JLPT N1 Kanji: 枠 – Understanding Waku (Frame, Limit) 枠 Readings: (Onyomi), わく (Kunyomi) Meaning: frame, framework, border, limit, quota, slot Formed with the radical 木 (tree) and a component that suggests “square” or “boundary”. It literally means a wooden frame or border, extending to abstract limits. View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N1 Kanji: 慮 (ryo) – Master the Kanji for Consideration & Thought 慮 Readings: リョ (Onyomi), おもんぱか(る) (Kunyomi) Meaning: consideration, prudence, thought, concern The kanji 慮 is formed by combining 虍 (tora-gashira, meaning “tiger’s head” or “stripes,” which implies careful observation or looking back and forth) and a component resembling a simplified form of
JLPT N1 Kanji: 属 (zok/shoku) – To Belong, Affiliation 属 Readings: ショク, ゾク (Onyomi), ぞくする (Kunyomi) Meaning: belong, affiliation, genus, subordinate, appertain The kanji 属 combines 尸 (shikabane), representing a “body” or “corpse,” and 蜀 (shoku), which serves as a phonetic component suggesting “connection” or “joining.” Together, it conveys the idea of something being “attached”
JLPT N1 Kanji: 還 (KAN) – Mastering the Art of Returning 還 Readings: カン (Onyomi), かえ-す, かえ-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: return, send back, restore, repay, give back 形声文字 (けいせいもじ). A semantic-phonetic compound. The radical 辶 (しんにょう) signifies ‘movement’ or ‘going’, while 袁 (えん), the phonetic component, hints at the sound and carries the meaning of ’round’
JLPT N1 Kanji: 縮 (shuku/chijimu) – Shrink & Contract 縮 Readings: シュク (Onyomi), ちぢ-む, ちぢ-まる, ちぢ-める, ちぢ-れる, ちぢ-らす (Kunyomi) Meaning: shrink, contract, shrivel, curl 形声 (Keisei – Phono-semantic compound). The left part 糸 (thread) is the semantic component. The right part 宿 is the phonetic component, lending its sound and implying gathering tightly. Together, they
JLPT N1 Kanji: 邸 (TEI) – Mastering “Mansion, Residence” 邸 Readings: テイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: residence, mansion, estate The kanji 邸 is composed of 阝 (阝, a variant of 邑 ‘city/village/district,’ often related to places or mounds) and Ẻ (テイ, a phonetic component indicating the sound ‘tei’ and potentially related to ‘settle’ or ‘foundation’). Thus,
JLPT N1 Kanji: 棄 (Ki / Su.teru) – Abandon, Discard, Reject 棄 Readings: キ (Onyomi), す.てる (Kunyomi) Meaning: abandon, throw away, discard, reject The kanji 棄 is formed from elements signifying “old” or “used” (𠬝) and “hands” (廾), combined with “wood” or “tree” (木). This composition suggests the act of casting aside or discarding something
JLPT N1 Kanji: 躍 (yaku/odoru) – Leap into Understanding! 躍 Readings: ヤク (Onyomi), おど-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: Leap, jump, dance, spring, throb The kanji 躍 combines 足 (ashi, foot/leg) on the left, indicating movement, with 翟 (teki, long-tailed pheasant) on the right, which acts as the phonetic component and also suggests a bird’s movement or dance.
JLPT N1 Kanji: 掲 (kaka・geru, KEI) – To Display, Post, or Hoist 掲 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), かか・げる (Kunyomi) Meaning: To put up, to post, to display, to publish The kanji 掲 combines the radical 手 (hand), indicating an action, with 曷 (katsu), which means to lift or raise. Together, they form the meaning of using
JLPT N1 Kanji: 契 – The Kanji of Pledges and Contracts 契 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), ちぎ-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: contract, pledge, bond, promise, engage The kanji 契 combines 㓞 (ketsu), meaning “to engrave” or “to carve notches,” and a modified form of 大 (dai/ō), perhaps as a phonetic component or a simplification. It originally depicted making
JLPT N1 Kanji: 街 (gai, machi) – Town, Street, City 街 Readings: ガイ, カイ (Onyomi), まち (Kunyomi) Meaning: town, street, city The kanji 街 is composed of the radical 行 (gyō), meaning “go” or “street/road,” and 圭 (kei), which acts as a phonetic component and originally depicted a sharp, pointed object or a boundary marker.
JLPT N1 Kanji: 懸 (kakeru/kakaru/KEN) – Master the Meanings of Suspend, Depend, and Risk 懸 Readings: ケン (Onyomi), か.ける, か.かる (Kunyomi) Meaning: suspend, hang, depend on, risk The kanji 懸 depicts a heart (心) placed below something hanging, signifying concepts related to suspension, dependency, or risking something. View JLPT N1 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N1 Kanji: 養 (yō/yashinau) – Master The Meaning of “Foster” and “Nourish” 養 Readings: ヨウ (Onyomi), やしな.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: foster, bring up, raise, rear, cultivate, support, nourish The kanji 養 is composed of 食 (shoku – food) and 羊 (yō – sheep). This combination suggests feeding or raising livestock, which evolved to mean “nourish,”
JLPT N1 Kanji: 伴 (ban, tomonau) – Your Guide to Accompanying Knowledge 伴 Readings: ハン (Onyomi), ともなう, とも (Kunyomi) Meaning: accompany, escort, attendant, be involved in, bring about The kanji 伴 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines the radical 人 (person), indicating a relation to people, with the phonetic component 半 (half). The phonetic component
