Master advanced Japanese grammar with our comprehensive JLPT N3 Kanji guides. Includes detailed explanations, native-level examples, and practice exercises to help you succeed in the JLPT N3 exam.
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 設 (setsu, moukeru) – To Establish, To Set Up 設 Readings: セツ (Onyomi), もう.ける (Kunyomi) Meaning: establish, provide, set up, make, found The kanji 設 is composed of 言 (word, speech) on the left and 殳 (a hand holding a club, implying action or setting up) on the right. Together, it […]
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 県 (ken) – Prefecture 県 Readings: ケン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Prefecture, county The kanji 県 originally depicted a person’s head hanging upside down, suggesting “suspension” or “division.” This evolved to signify an administrative “district” or “prefecture,” a “division” of land. View JLPT N2 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 領 (ryō) – Territory, Receive, Jurisdiction 領 Readings: リョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: territory, domain, jurisdiction, receive, collect The kanji 領 is composed of two parts: 令 (command, order) and 頁 (head, page). The 令 part signifies “to receive” or “to command,” while the 頁 part, related to the head, often implies
Learn Japanese N2 Kanji: 区 – Understanding Ward, District, and Division 区 Readings: ク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Ward, district, section, division The kanji 区 is formed from 匚 (box/enclosure) and 又 (right hand/again, here implying something contained or divided). It depicts something being enclosed or divided, hence its meaning of section or district. View JLPT
JLPT N3 Kanji: 向 (KOU, mu.ku) – Direction, Facing 向 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), む.く, む.い, む.ける, む.け, む.かう, む.かい, む.こう (Kunyomi) Meaning: beyond, yonder, facing, toward The kanji 向 originally depicted a window opening, or a person looking out from an opening, symbolizing facing or looking towards a direction. It combines a depiction of an
JLPT N3 Kanji: 誰 (Dare) – Who/Whom 誰 Readings: (Onyomi), だれ, たれ, どなた (Kunyomi) Meaning: who; whom The kanji 誰 combines 言 (word, speech) and 隹 (bird, often used as a phonetic component but can also imply “one,” “only,” or “gathering”). The combination suggests “who is speaking” or “who is the one.” View JLPT N3
JLPT N3 Kanji: 幾 (いく / キ) – How Many & Several 幾 Readings: キ (Onyomi), いく (Kunyomi) Meaning: how many, several, some The kanji 幾 is said to represent a small, intricate pattern or a small amount of thread, leading to the meaning of “small quantity,” “how many,” or “almost.” It evolved from ancient
JLPT N3 Kanji: 猫 (Neko) – Mastering the Kanji for “Cat” 猫 Readings: ビョウ (Onyomi), ねこ (Kunyomi) Meaning: cat The left side 豸 (ケモノ, beast) indicates an animal. The right side 苗 (ミョウ, seedlings; young shoots) is used for its sound (妙, ビョウ, mysterious, clever). Thus, “a clever animal.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How
JLPT N3 Kanji: 偉 (i, erai) – Greatness and Admiration 偉 Readings: イ (Onyomi), えら.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: Great, admirable, excellent, imposing The radical 人 (person) combined with 韋 (leather, soft, pliable, surrounded). It signifies someone outstanding among people, hence “great” or “extraordinary”. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The character
JLPT N3 Kanji: 偶 (ぐう・たま) – Accidentally, Pair 偶 Readings: グウ (Onyomi), たま (Kunyomi) Meaning: Accidentally, by chance; pair, even number; sometimes, occasionally Semantic-phonetic compound. The left component 人 (ひと) is the radical for “person”. The right component 禺 (ぐう) is the phonetic element, originally depicting a “monkey” or “image”. Together, it evokes an “image
JLPT N3 Kanji: 恥 (haji) – Understanding Shame and Embarrassment 恥 Readings: チ (Onyomi), はず, はじる, はじらう, はじ (Kunyomi) Meaning: shame, disgrace, embarrassment The kanji 恥 combines 耳 (ear) and 心 (heart/mind). The “ear” radical suggests hearing criticism or gossip, and the “heart” radical signifies the internal feeling of shame or embarrassment that arises. View
JLPT N3 Kanji: 靴 (Kutsu) – Master the Kanji for Shoes! 靴 Readings: カ (Onyomi), くつ (Kunyomi) Meaning: shoes, footwear The kanji 靴 is a phono-semantic character (形声文字). It combines the radical 革 (かわ – leather), which indicates the material, and the component 化 (か – to change, transform), which serves as the phonetic component
JLPT N3 Kanji: 才 – Unlocking Talent and Age 才 Readings: サイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: talent, ability, age The kanji 才 is said to be derived from the image of a young plant sprout pushing through the ground, symbolizing potential and growth. Over time, its meaning evolved to represent innate talent or ability, and later,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 忙 – Mastering “Busy” in Japanese 忙 Readings: ボウ (Onyomi), いそが-しい (Kunyomi) Meaning: busy, occupied Formed from 忄 (ritsu-shin-ben, radical for heart/mind, indicating emotional or mental state) and 亡 (bō, meaning “gone” or “perish,” which also acts as a phonetic component). Together, it suggests a mind that is “gone” or “rushing” due
JLPT N3 Kanji: 髪 (kami) – Hair 髪 Readings: ハツ (Onyomi), かみ (Kunyomi) Meaning: hair The radical 髟 (hair on the head) combined with 長 (long) depicts “long hair,” representing the general meaning of hair. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 髪 has 14 strokes. Begin with the
JLPT N3 Kanji: 寒 (さむい) – Mastering “Cold” 寒 Readings: カン (Onyomi), さむ-い (Kunyomi) Meaning: cold 寒 is a pictogram representing a house (宀) with icicles (冫) and grass (艹) on top, illustrating the concept of severe cold. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 寒 is written in
JLPT N3 Kanji: 晩 (ban) – Evening, Night 晩 Readings: バン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: evening, night The kanji 晩 is composed of 日 (hi/nichi), meaning “sun” or “day,” and 免 (men), which originally meant “to cover” or “to remove.” In this context, 免 acts both phonetically and semantically, representing the sun “escaping” or “setting,” thus
JLPT N3 Kanji: 箱 (hako) – Mastering the Kanji for “Box” 箱 Readings: (Onyomi), はこ (Kunyomi) Meaning: box; case; chest; package The kanji 箱 combines 竹 (bamboo, suggesting woven containers from natural materials) and 相 (mutual, together, implying a structured and enclosed form). Historically, containers were often made from bamboo or wood. View JLPT N3
JLPT N3 Kanji: 頂 (itadaku, chou) – Mastering Summit, Receive, and Humble Expressions 頂 Readings: チョウ (Onyomi), いただく, いただき (Kunyomi) Meaning: Summit, peak, top; receive, accept (humble) The kanji 頂 combines the radical 頁 (おおがい), meaning “head” or “page,” with the component 丁 (てい), which suggests a “nail” or “top.” Together, it symbolizes the “top
JLPT N3 Kanji: Mastering 耳 (mimi) – The Ear 耳 Readings: ジ (Onyomi), みみ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Ear The kanji 耳 is a pictograph of an ear, showing its clear connection to the meaning. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 耳 is drawn with 6 strokes. It starts with
