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.
JLPT N3 Kanji: 呼 (yobu/ko) – Call, Shout, Invite! 呼 Readings: コ (Onyomi), よ.ぶ (Kunyomi) Meaning: call, shout, invite The kanji 呼 is formed from 口 (kuchi, meaning “mouth”) and 乎 (ko, an ancient phonetic component that originally conveyed the idea of calling out or exhaling. Together, they represent the act of making a sound […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: 識 (shiki) – Knowledge, Distinguish, Recognize 識 Readings: シキ (Onyomi), し.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: knowledge, distinguish, recognize, discriminate The kanji 識 combines 言 (word, speech) and 戠 (a component suggesting recognition or marking). Together, it conveys the idea of using language or mental faculty to identify, know, or discern something. View JLPT N3
JLPT N3 Kanji: 港 (minato, Kou) – Port, Harbor 港 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), みなと (Kunyomi) Meaning: port, harbor The character 港 combines the radical 氵 (sanzui, indicating water) with 巷 (kō, a component suggesting a street or alley). Together, they form the meaning of a “port” or “harbor” – a place where water meets a
JLPT N3 Kanji: 財 (zai/sai) – Unlocking the Meaning of Wealth 財 Readings: ザイ, サイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: wealth, property, money, goods, assets The kanji 財 is formed by combining 貝 (kai), meaning “shell” or “money” (as shells were historically used as currency), and 才 (sai), which is a phonetic component that also conveys the
JLPT N3 Kanji: 様 (Sama/You) – Understanding Manner, Status, and Respect 様 Readings: ヨウ (Onyomi), さま (Kunyomi) Meaning: way, manner, status, Mr./Ms., like, appearance The character combines 水 (water) and 羊 (sheep). The original meaning related to the appearance of water or a pattern, evolving to mean ‘shape,’ ‘manner,’ ‘state,’ and eventually a respectful suffix
JLPT N3 Kanji: Mastering 申 (mōsu/shin) – The Humble Verb 申 Readings: シン (Onyomi), もう(す) (Kunyomi) Meaning: To say, to state, to report, to apply (humble form of 言う/する) The kanji 申 is often described as a pictograph of lightning (稲妻). Due to the quick and sudden nature of lightning, it came to be associated
JLPT N3 Kanji: 深 (fuka.i, SHIN) – Deep, Profound 深 Readings: シン (Onyomi), ふか.い, ふか.まる, ふか.める (Kunyomi) Meaning: Deep, profound The character combines the water radical 氵 (water) with a phonetic component, suggesting a deep pool or a dark, deep place. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 深
JLPT N3 Kanji: 横 – Mastering “Side, Horizontal” 横 Readings: オウ (Onyomi), よこ (Kunyomi) Meaning: side, horizontal, width, crosswise 形声 (けいせい) – Combines 木 (tree, meaning component) and 黄 (sound component). The idea relates to a horizontal beam or something placed across. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji
JLPT N3 Kanji: 段 – Step Up Your Japanese! 段 Readings: ダン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: step, stairs, grade, rank, level The left component 阝 (a variant of 阜) represents a mound or hill. The right component 殳 depicts a hand holding a stick, suggesting shaping or forming. Together, the character conveys the idea of cutting
JLPT N3 Kanji: 察 – Unraveling Observation and Discernment 察 Readings: サツ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Conjecture, guess, presume, surmise, judge, understand, discern, observe, investigate The kanji 察 combines the radical 宀 (ukanmuri, meaning “roof” or “house”) and 祭 (matsuri, meaning “ritual” or “festival”). The combination suggests a deep observation or investigation, like carefully observing a
JLPT N3 Kanji: 観 – Master the Art of Viewing! 観 Readings: カン (Onyomi), みる (Kunyomi) Meaning: view, observe, appearance The kanji 観 is formed by combining 雚 (a type of bird, often a hawk, representing a wide view) and 見 (to see). This combination signifies “to look from a high place,” “to observe broadly,”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 非 (Hi) – Understanding “Non-” and “Wrong” 非 Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Non-, un-, wrong, adverse The kanji 非 is a pictograph depicting two wings facing away from each other, symbolizing opposition, deviation, or something being “not right” or “wrong.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order
JLPT N3 Kanji: 望 – Hope, Wish, View 望 Readings: ボウ, モウ (Onyomi), のぞ.む (Kunyomi) Meaning: hope, wish, desire, expect, view, full moon The character 望 is composed of 亡 (disappear, perish) and 月 (moon). It originally depicted gazing at the moon, especially as it waxes or wanes, which evolved into the meaning of “longing,”
JLPT N3 Kanji: 福 (Fuku) – Fortune, Happiness, Blessings 福 Readings: フク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Fortune, good luck, happiness, blessing The character 福 is derived from an ancient Chinese character combining 示 (shì, “altar, shrine”) and 畐 (fú, which was originally a pictograph of a wine vessel, indicating abundance or fullness, and also served as
JLPT N3 Kanji: 命 (Inochi/Mei) – Life, Fate, Command 命 Readings: めい, みょう (Onyomi), いのち (Kunyomi) Meaning: life, fate, command, destiny A combination of the radical 人 (person) and 卩 (seal/stamp, which originally represented a kneeling person, suggesting receiving orders, or a mouth delivering orders). The original meaning was ‘command’ or ‘order’, which evolved to
JLPT N3 Kanji: 美 (bi, utsuku-shii) – The Beauty of Japanese 美 Readings: ビ (Onyomi), うつく-しい, うるわ-しい (Kunyomi) Meaning: beauty, beautiful The kanji 美 (び) is said to originate from a depiction of a person with an elaborate head adornment, or a large, well-fed sheep (羊), which was considered good or beautiful. The idea of
JLPT N3 Kanji: 種 (Tane / Shu) – Meaning, Readings, and Usage 種 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), たね (Kunyomi) Meaning: Seed, kind, species, variety, type undefined View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 種 is composed of 14 strokes. The radical 禾 (nogihen) on the left means “grain” or “ear
JLPT N3 Kanji: 若 (waka – Young, If, Perhaps) – Mastering Its Meanings and Usage 若 Readings: ジャク, ニャク (Onyomi), わか-い, もし-くは (Kunyomi) Meaning: young, if, perhaps The kanji 若 is a pictographic character depicting a young plant growing vigorously. The top part (艹, a variant of grass radical) suggests vegetation, while the bottom part
JLPT N3 Kanji: Master 守 (mamoru / SHU) – Protect & Guard! 守 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), まも.る, まも.り (Kunyomi) Meaning: Protect, guard, defend, obey, comply, observe The kanji 守 (shu, mamoru) is a pictogram (象形文字, shōkei moji) depicting a hand (寸) covering or guarding a house (宀). It visually represents the act of protecting or
JLPT N3 Kanji: 末 – Understanding Endings and Futures 末 Readings: マツ, バツ (Onyomi), すえ (Kunyomi) Meaning: end, close, tip, future, powder The kanji 末 is composed of the radical 木 (tree) with an extra horizontal line at the top, signifying the “treetops” or “ends” of the branches. It conceptually represents the extremities or the
