JLPT N3 Kanji: 夫 – Master the Kanji for “Husband” and More! 夫 Readings: フ, ブ (Onyomi), おっと (Kunyomi) Meaning: Husband, man The kanji 夫 depicts a large man (大) with a hairpin (一) symbolizing an adult male or husband, having completed his coming-of-age ceremony. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke […]

JLPT N3 Kanji: 優 (YUU, yasa-, sugu-) – Master the Meaning of “Gentle, Superior, Actor” 優 Readings: ユウ (Onyomi), やさ(しい), すぐ(れる) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Gentle, superior, excellent, actor The kanji 優 is composed of the radical 人 (person) on the left, signifying human qualities, and 憂 (worry, grieve, be anxious) on the right. The original meaning

JLPT N3 Kanji: 難 (nan) – Understanding the Kanji for “Difficult” 難 Readings: ナン (Onyomi), むずか.しい, -にく.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: difficult, trouble, hardship The kanji 難 is composed of 隹 (a short-tailed bird or small bird) and 堇 (a sound component often associated with “mud” or “difficulty”). The combination suggests a bird struggling in mud or

JLPT N3 Kanji: 説 (setsu, toku) – Explanation and Theory 説 Readings: セツ (Onyomi), とく (Kunyomi) Meaning: explanation, theory, rumor, opinion, to explain, to preach, to persuade 形声文字 (Keisei moji). It combines 言 (word, speech) and 兌 (to exchange, to please, to explain – providing the sound component). View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 由 (Yū) – Understanding Reason, Origin, and Freedom 由 Readings: ユ, ユウ (Onyomi), よし, よる (Kunyomi) Meaning: reason, cause, origin, means, freedom The kanji 由 is thought to be a pictograph representing a sprout emerging from the ground, symbolizing “origin” or “source.” Over time, its meaning expanded to include “reason” or “cause,”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 付 (fu, tsuku, tsukeru) – Attach, Stick, Add 付 Readings: フ (Onyomi), つ.ける, -づ.ける, つ.く, -づ.く (Kunyomi) Meaning: attach, append, stick, join, fix, apply, glue, pay The kanji 付 combines the radical for “person” (人) on the left and “inch/hand” (寸) on the right. It originally depicted a hand giving or passing

JLPT N3 Kanji: 費 (Hi) – Master the Meaning of “Expense” and “Spend” 費 Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), つい.やす, つい.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: expense, cost, consume, spend The kanji 費 is formed from 弗 (フツ), which suggests “not” or “reverse,” and 貝 (かい), meaning “shell” or “money.” Together, they imply “to spend money” or “to use up

JLPT N3 Kanji: 身 (mi, shin) – Mastering “Body” and “Self” 身 Readings: シン (Onyomi), み (Kunyomi) Meaning: body; person; oneself The kanji 身 is a pictograph depicting a pregnant woman with a large belly, emphasizing the body or self. It has evolved over time but retains this core meaning of a physical body or

JLPT N3 Kanji: 割 (Wari, Katsu) – Divide, Split, Discount 割 Readings: カツ (Onyomi), わ.る, わり, わ.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: divide, split, separate, proportion, discount, break, crack The kanji 割 combines the radical 刀 (katana/sword), representing a knife or cutting tool, with 害 (gai), which originally depicted a house being cut or damaged. Together, they convey

JLPT N3 Kanji: 構 (kou) – Structure, Set Up, Compose 構 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), かま.える, かま.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: structure, construct, compose, set up, appearance The kanji 構 is formed by combining 木 (ki – tree/wood), representing something made of wood, and 冓 (kou – to cross, entwine), which depicts interlocking beams or a complex structure.

JLPT N3 Kanji: 役 (yaku) – Unlocking Roles, Duties, and Service 役 Readings: ヤク, エキ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: role, duty, service, office The kanji 役 originally depicted a person (彳) holding a weapon or tool (殳), signifying service, duty, or an assigned task. Over time, its meaning evolved to represent roles, duties, and functions. View

JLPT N3 Kanji: 供 (KYOU, tomo) – Companion, Offer 供 Readings: キョウ, ク (Onyomi), とも, そな.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: companion, offer, attendant, submit The character 供 combines the radical 人 (にんべん – person) on the left with the component 共 (とも – together, both) on the right. This suggests the meaning of someone who is ‘with’

JLPT N3 Kanji: 与 (YO, あたえる) – Give, Provide, Participate 与 Readings: ヨ (Onyomi), あた(える), あずか(る) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Give, provide, participate, involve, bestow A pictograph depicting two hands passing or offering something to another, or tools being used to share/distribute. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 与 is

JLPT N3 Kanji: 職 (Shoku) – Understanding “Occupation” 職 Readings: ショク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: occupation, job, post The kanji 職 originally combined elements representing a person (臣) and clothing (衣, later simplified), implying a role or duty related to one’s position or work. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The

JLPT N3 Kanji: 球 (kyuu / tama) – The Ball of Knowledge! 球 Readings: キュウ (Onyomi), たま (Kunyomi) Meaning: ball, sphere, globe 形声文字 (Keisei moji). Formed from 玉 (gyoku – jewel, meaning component indicating roundness) and 求 (kyuu – seek, phonetic component). It combines the idea of a round object with a phonetic clue, leading

JLPT N3 Kanji: 状 – Mastering “State” and “Condition” 状 Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: state, status, condition, appearance, form The kanji 状 originally depicted a dog with its tail curled up, representing its “state” or “form.” Over time, it evolved to abstractly signify “condition,” “appearance,” or “status.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 常 – Master the Meaning of ‘Normal’ and ‘Constant’ 常 Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), つね, とこ (Kunyomi) Meaning: normal, usual, ordinary, constant, always The kanji 常 combines 尚 (shou), meaning ‘still’ or ‘elevated,’ and 巾 (kin), meaning ‘cloth.’ The original meaning referred to a flag or banner that was always present or fluttering,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 放 (hou) – Release, Set Free, Broadcast 放 Readings: ホウ (Onyomi), はな-す, はな-つ, はな-れる, ほう-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: release, set free, discharge, emit, banish, let go The kanji 放 is composed of two parts: 方 (ほう), meaning “direction” or “square,” and 攵 (ぼく), which is a radical meaning “to strike” or “action.” Together,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 局 (Kyoku) – Mastering Bureaus, Offices, and Situations 局 Readings: キョク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Bureau, office, board, department, limited area, station, game The kanji 局 originally depicted an enclosed space or a bent object. Over time, it came to represent specific confined areas, departments, offices, or a particular situation within a limited

JLPT N3 Kanji: 過 (ka, su.giru) – Pass, Over, Exceed! 過 Readings: カ (Onyomi), す.ぎる, す.ごす, あやま.つ, あやま.ち (Kunyomi) Meaning: pass, over, exceed, error, fault Formed from 辶 (しんにょう), meaning “walk” or “movement,” and 咼 (か), which is a phonetic component suggesting “crookedness” or “passing by.” Together, it represents the idea of “passing over” or