JLPT N3 Kanji: 疑 (gi, utaga.u) – Demystifying Doubt and Suspicion 疑 Readings: ギ (Onyomi), うたが.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: doubt, suspicion, question The kanji 疑 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 疋 (shǐ), depicting a “leg” or “foot,” and the phonetic component 矣 (yǐ), which originally represented a “person with bound feet” or “a person walking […]

JLPT N3 Kanji: 格 (kaku) – Unlocking Status, Price, and Personality! 格 Readings: カク, コウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Status, rank, character, rule, standard, case (grammar), price The kanji 格 combines the radical 木 (tree) with 各 (each/every), which suggests “form” or “pattern.” Together, it represents the framework or structure, evolving to mean “status,” “rank,” “rule,”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 置 – Mastering the Kanji for “Place” and “Put” 置 Readings: チ (Onyomi), おく (Kunyomi) Meaning: place, put, set The kanji 置 combines the radical 罒 (あみめ – net/eye radical, often representing a flat surface or container) and 直 (なおす – straight, to correct). It visually represents placing something straight or correctly

JLPT N3 Kanji: 位 (I, kurai) – Master Rank, Position, and Approximation! 位 Readings: イ (Onyomi), くらい, ぐらい (Kunyomi) Meaning: rank, position, grade, status, about, some The kanji 位 originally depicted a person (人) standing on a platform or a stand. This visual representation suggests the idea of a “position” or “rank,” where one stands

JLPT N3 Kanji: 能 (nou) – Mastering Ability and Performance 能 Readings: ノウ (Onyomi), あた.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: Ability, talent, skill, performance, Noh (theatre) The character originally depicted a bear, symbolizing its strength and capability. Over time, it evolved to represent “ability,” “talent,” and “skill.” It also gained the meaning of “Noh” (traditional Japanese theatrical art),

JLPT N3 Kanji: 談 (dan) – Discuss, Talk 談 Readings: ダン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: discuss, talk The kanji 談 is a combination of 言 (word, speech) and 炎 (flame). The 言 radical gives the meaning of “speech” or “words,” while 炎, though meaning “flame,” is used here phonetically to represent a sound or an intense

JLPT N3 Kanji: 争 (Arasou, Sou) – Mastering Conflict and Competition 争 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), あらそ.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: fight, contend, dispute, conflict The kanji 争 combines the radical 爪 (tsume), meaning “claws” or “hand,” and a component that represents “to give” or “to participate” (originally a depiction of two hands pulling something). This combination visually

JLPT N3 Kanji: 歳 (Toshi/Sai) – Age, Year 歳 Readings: サイ, セイ (Onyomi), とし (Kunyomi) Meaning: Year, age The character 歳 depicts a spear (戈) and a foot (止), symbolizing the act of ‘passing by’ or ‘going over,’ which evolved to represent the passing of time, hence ‘year’ or ‘age.’ View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 演 (EN) – Master the Kanji for Performance and Acting 演 Readings: エン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: performance, play, act, show, exhibition, present, display, execute, render The kanji 演 (en) is composed of the radical 氵 (water) and the phonetic component 寅 (in), which depicts a tiger (or a person moving fluidly). The

JLPT N3 Kanji: 必 (Hitsu / Kanarazu) – The Kanji for “Must” 必 Readings: ヒツ (Onyomi), かならず (Kunyomi) Meaning: inevitable, certain, indispensable, must A pictograph of a bird (弋) with a dot indicating its precise downward flight, emphasizing certainty or inevitability. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 必

JLPT N3 Kanji: 容 (YŌ) – Understanding Capacity and Form 容 Readings: ヨウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Capacity, contents, form, figure, allow The kanji 容 combines the radical 宀 (ukammuri, meaning “roof” or “house”) and 谷 (tani, meaning “valley” or “canyon”). Together, they suggest a “container” or “something that holds contents,” leading to meanings related to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 果 (Ka/Hata) – Meaning, Readings, and Usage 果 Readings: カ (Onyomi), は, はた (Kunyomi) Meaning: Fruit, result, outcome, achieve, fulfill This kanji depicts fruit hanging from a tree. The top part (田, which looks like a field but here represents the fruit) is on the bottom part (木, tree). It visually represents

JLPT N3 Kanji: 確 – Master “Sure” and “Confirm” 確 Readings: カク (Onyomi), たし-か, たし-かめる (Kunyomi) Meaning: sure, firm, definite, confirm, clear, obvious The kanji 確 combines the radical 石 (ishi, stone), which implies solidity, hardness, and reliability, with the phonetic component ⿳隹口一, which hints at the pronunciation “kaku” and the idea of being firm

JLPT N3 Kanji: 式 (shiki) – Master the Meanings of Style, Method, and Ceremony! 式 Readings: シキ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: style, method, ceremony, form, type The kanji 式 depicts an ancient ceremonial axe or a flag, symbolizing a standard, rule, or established form. It represents something that is fixed, a pattern to follow, or a

JLPT N3 Kanji: Learn 「両」 – Both, Quantity 両 Readings: リョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: both, quantity, pair The kanji 両 (りょう) is said to be a pictograph of a cart with two wheels, thus representing “both” or “a pair”. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 両 consists of

JLPT N3 Kanji: 直 – Straight, Direct, Fix! 直 Readings: チョク, ジキ (Onyomi), なお.す, なお.る, ただ.ちに (Kunyomi) Meaning: straight, direct, immediate, fix, correct, honest The kanji 直 depicts an eye (目) looking directly forward (represented by a straight line or cross). It conveys the original meaning of being “straight,” “direct,” or “upright.” View JLPT N3

JLPT N3 Kanji: 打 (DA, UTSU) – Master the Meaning of “Hit” and “Strike” 打 Readings: ダ (Onyomi), う.つ, う.ち- (Kunyomi) Meaning: hit, strike, beat, knock, pound The kanji 打 is formed from the radical 扌 (tehen), meaning “hand,” and the component 丁 (chou/tei), which functions as a sound element (on-reading for kanji related to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 変 – Master the Meaning of “Change” and “Strange” 変 Readings: ヘン (Onyomi), かわ.る, か.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: Strange, unusual, change, accident, disorder The kanji 変 is composed of 糸 (ito: thread, silk) and 亦 (eki/yaku: also, indeed, again). The combination suggests changes or transformations, possibly referring to the intertwining and changing patterns

JLPT N3 Kanji: 示 (shime.su, shi) – To Show, Indicate, Display 示 Readings: シ (Onyomi), しめ.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: show, indicate, display The kanji 示 originated as a pictograph of an altar table with offerings, representing a revelation from the gods or a divine showing. Over time, its meaning broadened to simply ‘to show’ or ‘to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 投 (TŌ / na.geru) – Master the Art of “Throwing” 投 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), な.げる, -な.げ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Throw, cast, hurl, toss, pitch, abandon The kanji 投 is formed from the radical 手 (て), meaning “hand,” and the component 殳 (ほこづくり), which is related to striking or throwing with a stick or