N2 Kanji

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 敬 (kei, kyō, uyamau) – Respect and Honor 敬 Readings: ケイ, キョウ (Onyomi), うやま.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: Respect, honor, reverence The character 敬 combines semantic elements suggesting bowing or being cautious, and phonetic elements. It fundamentally depicts a cautious and respectful attitude, possibly stemming from a depiction of holding oneself in reverence […]

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 片 (kata, hen) – Fragments and One-Sidedness 片 Readings: ヘン (Onyomi), かた (Kunyomi) Meaning: one-sided, fragment, piece, single (of a pair), unilateral The kanji 片 depicts a half of a tree or a split piece of wood. It originally represented a piece or a fragment, hence its meaning of “one-sided,” “half,”

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 快 (KAI/kokoroyoi) – Pleasant, Comfortable, Cheerful 快 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), こころよ(い) (Kunyomi) Meaning: pleasant, comfortable, cheerful, good The kanji 快 (kai) is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 夬 (kai), meaning “decisive” or “to separate,” acting as the phonetic component, with 心 (kokoro), meaning “heart” or “mind,” as the semantic component. Together,

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 翌 (Yoku) – The Following Day 翌 Readings: ヨク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: the following, next The kanji 翌 combines 羽 (feather/wing) and 立 (to stand), suggesting something “standing next” or “following,” like a bird preparing for the next flight. It conceptually relates to succession or the subsequent period. View JLPT N2

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 純 (Pure, Genuine) 純 Readings: ジュン (Onyomi), すみ, まじ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Pure, Genuine, Unmixed The character combines 纟(silk) and पर्यावरणीय (pure, tranquil). The silk radical suggests something fine and unadulterated, while the phonetic component contributes to the meaning of purity and refinement. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write –

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 刺 (Stab, Pierce, Prick) 刺 Readings: シ (Onyomi), さ.す, さ.さる, さ.し (Kunyomi) Meaning: To stab, pierce, prick, sting, bite, sting, sharp, acute, pungent The character is a phono-semantic compound. The phonetic component is 次 (tsugi – next, follow), which provides the sound, and the semantic component is 刀 (katana – sword/knife),

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 双 (sou, fu) – Understanding Twins and Pairs 双 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), ふた, ふたつ (Kunyomi) Meaning: twins, pair, couple, couple, both, twin, duplicate The kanji 双 is composed of the radical 又 (mata, “again” or “hand”) and two horizontal strokes. The two horizontal strokes represent two things that are alike or

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 詰 (Tsumaru) – Meaning, Readings, and Usage 詰 Readings: キュウ, ク (Onyomi), つまる, つめる, ちま (Kunyomi) Meaning: To be packed, to be blocked, to be crowded, to be full The kanji 詰 is composed of the radical 言 (言, meaning “speech” or “word”) and the phonetic component 廴 (which can indicate

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 秒 (Byō) – Second 秒 Readings: ビョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: second (unit of time) The character 秒 is composed of two parts: the radical 禾 (nogi, meaning grain or rice plant) and the phonetic component 少 (shō, meaning few or little). It originally depicted rice ears bending under the weight of

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 群 (Group, Crowd) 群 Readings: グン (Onyomi), む.る, む.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Group, crowd, flock, herd The kanji 群 is composed of the radical 羊 (sheep) and the phonetic component 君. The original meaning referred to a flock of sheep. Over time, it came to mean any group or crowd of people

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 薄 (Usui) 薄 Readings: ハク, ウス (Onyomi), うす, うす-い, うすめる, うすまる, うすめる, うすめ, うすづく, うすよごれる, うすぺら, うすべったい, うすわか (Kunyomi) Meaning: thin, flimsy, weak, sparse, diluted, pale The kanji 薄 is composed of 艹 (grass) on the left and  (a phonetic component) on the right. The original character depicted grass growing thinly,

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 照 (Shō, Teru) – Meaning, Readings, and Usage 照 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), て.る, て.らす, て.ら.す, あか.るい, あか.るむ, あか.らむ, い.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: illuminate, reflect, light up, shine, resemble, contrast, compare, Vietnam, photos, pictures, show, display, direct, guide, opposite The kanji 照 is a phono-semantic compound character. The left side, 灬 (re-tsu), represents

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 贈 (Sō – To Give/Present) 贈 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), おくる (Kunyomi) Meaning: to give, to present, to send (as a gift) The character combines 賚 (meaning ‘gift’) and 貝 (meaning ‘shell money’), highlighting the historical association of gifts with valuable objects. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 律 (Law, Discipline) 律 Readings: リツ, RITSU (Onyomi), のっとる, NOTTORU (Kunyomi) Meaning: Law, discipline, regulation, rule, to accord with, to obey The kanji 律 is composed of the radical 彳 (meaning “to walk” or “to stride”) and the phonetic component 聿 (which itself means “to write” or “writing brush”). The combination

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 臓 (Zō) – Understanding the Body’s Organs 臓 Readings: ゾウ (Onyomi), — (Kunyomi) Meaning: organ, viscera, entrails The kanji 臓 is composed of the radical 月 (meat/flesh) and the phonetic component 蔵 (storehouse). The original meaning relates to storing things within the body, specifically the internal organs. View JLPT N2 Kanji

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 章 (Chapter, Section, Verse) 章 Readings: undefined (Onyomi), あ.ける, ふ.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: Chapter, Section, Verse, Badge, Prize The character 章 is formed by combining the phonetic component ⺖ (representing a “flag” or “banner”) and the semantic component ⺍ (representing “standing” or “erect”). Together, they depict a banner planted firmly, signifying order,

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 簡 (Kanj) – Simple, Brief 簡 Readings: カン (Onyomi), かん (Kunyomi) Meaning: simple, brief, take, use, write, state, prescribe, grass The character is composed of ⺮ ( a variant of 竹, bamboo) and 間 (between, interval). The original meaning was a bamboo slip used for writing, which was often brief or

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: The Ultimate Guide to 焼 (yaku) 焼 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), や.く, や.ける (Kunyomi) Meaning: to grill, to bake, to burn, to char, to scorch The etymology of 焼 involves the character 爨 (to cook) on the left, which depicts a stove with flames, and the character 兀 (tall) on the right,

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 預 (Yoku) – To Deposit, To Entrust 預 Readings: ヨ (Onyomi), あず, あずけ (Kunyomi) Meaning: To deposit, To entrust, To keep in custody The etymology of 預 combines 予 (before, pre-) and 貝 (shell, money). Originally, it depicted a hand (scribe) holding money or valuables, suggesting the act of entrusting or

Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 替 (Substitute, Change) 替 Readings: カイ (kai) (Onyomi), か.える (ka.eru), か.わる (ka.waru), か.eshi (ka.eshi) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Substitute, Change, Replace, Swap, Alternating The character 替 is composed of 廴 (yǐn, meaning ‘to walk’ or ‘to move slowly’) and 欠 (qiàn, meaning ‘lack’ or ‘gap’). The original meaning is believed to relate to