JLPT N3 Kanji: 差 (sa) – Understanding “Difference” 差 Readings: サ (Onyomi), さ, さす, さし (Kunyomi) Meaning: difference, distinction, variation, discrepancy, margin, gap The kanji 差 (sa) originally depicted a hand (又) pushing or inserting something into the ground (工, a tool or ground). This led to the meaning of ‘to insert’ or ‘to stick […]

JLPT N3 Kanji: 失 (shitsu / ushinau) – Lose, Fault 失 Readings: シツ (Onyomi), うしな(う), う(せる) (Kunyomi) Meaning: lose, fault, disadvantage, error The kanji 失 combines 人 (ひと), representing a person, and a simplified drawing suggesting something falling or an arrow missing its target. This imagery conveys the meaning of “to lose” or “to miss.”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 渡 (wataru, watasu) – Cross, Hand Over 渡 Readings: ト (Onyomi), わた.る, わた.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: to cross over, to hand over, to deliver The radical 氵 (water) indicates a connection to water or a crossing of a body of water. The right part, ⿸广度, is a phonetic component that suggests “crossing” or

JLPT N3 Kanji: 負 (Fu / Ma.keru / O.u) – Master the Meaning of “Lose, Bear, Owe” 負 Readings: フ (Onyomi), ま.ける, ま.かす, お.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: lose, defeat, bear, owe The kanji 負 (ふ) originated from a pictogram depicting a person carrying something on their back. This directly led to its meaning of “bear” or

JLPT N3 Kanji: 頭 (atama/tou) – Mastering “Head” and Its Uses 頭 Readings: トウ, ズ (Onyomi), あたま, かしら (Kunyomi) Meaning: Head The kanji 頭 originally depicted a person’s head, featuring elements for hair and face, simplified over time. It represents the “head” or “top” part. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke

JLPT N3 Kanji: 退 (tai, shirizoku) – Master the Kanji for Retreat and Withdrawal! 退 Readings: タイ (Onyomi), しりぞ.く, ひ.く (Kunyomi) Meaning: retreat, withdraw, retire, cede, go back The kanji 退 is formed by combining the radical 彳 (gyōnin-ben), meaning “step with the left foot” or “to walk,” and 艮 (kon), which depicts someone looking

JLPT N3 Kanji: 好 (Kō, Suki) – Your Guide to Liking and Favoring 好 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), す, この (Kunyomi) Meaning: like, good, favorable, pleasing This kanji is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 女 (woman) and 子 (child), originally suggesting something ‘beautiful’ or ‘good’ like a woman with a child. It evolved to represent ‘like’

JLPT N3 Kanji: 落 – To Fall, Drop, or Omit 落 Readings: ラク (RAKU) (Onyomi), おちる (ochiru), おとす (otosu) (Kunyomi) Meaning: to fall, to drop, to omit, to fail The kanji 落 combines 艹 (grass) on top, and 洛 (raku), which phonetically represents ‘falling’ or ‘dropping’, often associated with water flowing down. The grass radical

JLPT N3 Kanji: 景 (kei) – Scenery, View, Prospect 景 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Scenery, view, prospect, scene The kanji 景 combines 日 (sun) and 京 (capital city, high building). It originally depicted sunlight shining on a tall building or a capital, thus evolving to mean “scenery” or “view.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 形 (Shape, Form, Appearance) 形 Readings: ケイ, ギョウ (Onyomi), かた, かたち (Kunyomi) Meaning: Shape, form, appearance A pictograph representing a mold or a person’s figure, conveying the concept of shape or form. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 形 (kata/katachi/kei/gyou) has 7 strokes. It begins

JLPT N3 Kanji: 働 働 Readings: ドウ (Onyomi), はたらく (Kunyomi) Meaning: work, labor The kanji 働 combines the radical 人 (person) with 動 (move). It literally means a “person moving” or “a person doing something,” which naturally evolved to mean “work” or “labor.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The

JLPT N3 Kanji: 伝 (Den) – Master “Transmit, Convey, Legend” 伝 Readings: デン (Onyomi), つたわる, つたえる, つたえ, づたい (Kunyomi) Meaning: transmit, report, communicate, tradition, legend, convey The kanji 伝 (den) combines the radical 人 (person) and the phonetic component 専 (sen), which implies “exclusively” or “specialized.” Together, it suggests the idea of “passing something on”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 商 (Shō) – The Kanji of Commerce and Trade 商 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), あきな(う) (Kunyomi) Meaning: commerce, trade, negotiate, sell The character 商 originally depicted a tall building, possibly a watchtower or a structure for storing goods, suggesting a place of exchange. Over time, its meaning evolved to represent commerce and trade.

JLPT N3 Kanji: 追 (ou/tsui) – Master the Art of Chasing and Pursuing! 追 Readings: ツイ (Onyomi), お.う, お.い, お.って (Kunyomi) Meaning: chase, pursue, follow, overtake The kanji 追 depicts a person (彳) following a footprint (止), symbolizing the act of chasing or pursuing. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order

JLPT N3 Kanji: 限 – Limit & Restriction 限 Readings: ゲン (Onyomi), かぎ.る, かぎ.り (Kunyomi) Meaning: limit, restrict, boundary The kanji 限 combines 阜 (こざとへん), representing a mound or hill, and 艮 (こん), which signifies stopping or turning back. Together, they conceptually form the idea of setting a boundary or a limit, often suggesting a

JLPT N3 Kanji: 然 – Understanding “Natural” and “Thus” 然 Readings: ゼン, ネン (Onyomi), しか, しかる, さ (Kunyomi) Meaning: natural, like that, proper, certainly, thus Pictophonetic character. Originally depicted meat being roasted (top part like meat, bottom is fire). Borrowed for its sound to mean “thus,” “so,” or “like that.” The original meaning of “burning”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 例 – Understanding Examples, Customs, and Instances 例 Readings: レイ (Onyomi), ためし, たとえる, たとえ (Kunyomi) Meaning: example, custom, instance Originally a pictograph depicting a person (人) standing on a ritual vessel (呂, though simplified to レ in modern form), suggesting a rule, standard, or example to be followed. View JLPT N3 Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji: 労 (ROU, ねぎら.う, いたわ.る) – Effort and Labor 労 Readings: ロウ (Onyomi), ねぎら.う, いたわ.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: labor, toil, trouble, effort, work The kanji 労 depicts strength (力) expended under a cover or roof, symbolizing the effort or toil of working. It conveys the idea of exerting oneself and the hardship involved in

JLPT N3 Kanji: 助 (たすける, たすかる, ジョ) – The Kanji of Help and Assistance 助 Readings: ジョ (Onyomi), たす.ける, たす.かる, すけ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Help, assist, save The kanji 助 is composed of the radical 力 (chikara), meaning “power” or “strength,” and the phonetic component 且 (sho), which originally depicted a helper or a tool. Combined,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 声 (Koe/Sei) – Voice, Sound 声 Readings: セイ, ショウ (Onyomi), こえ, こわ- (Kunyomi) Meaning: Voice, Sound The kanji 声 is said to have originally depicted a musical instrument or chime (士) with an element indicating sound being emitted. It evolved to represent “voice” or “sound.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to