JLPT N3 Kanji: 法 – Mastering Law, Method, and Rules 法 Readings: ホウ (Onyomi), のり (Kunyomi) Meaning: law, method, rule, way The kanji 法 combines 氵 (water radical, indicating flow or standard) and 去 (meaning to go away or remove). It suggests “that which is set forth to flow (smoothly/correctly), rules, regulations, law.” View JLPT

JLPT N3 Kanji: 首 (kubi, SHU) – Mastering the Head and Leader! 首 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), くび (Kunyomi) Meaning: Neck, head, leader, first The kanji 首 is a pictograph of a head, showing the hair on top and the features of the face. Over time, it evolved to represent the neck and, by extension, the

JLPT N3 Kanji: 約 (YAKU) – Promise, Approximately, Contract 約 Readings: ヤク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: promise, approximately, contract, condense, reduce The kanji 約 combines the “thread” radical (糸) on the left with 勺 (shaku – a ladle, a measure). The original meaning related to tying up or binding. This evolved to mean making an agreement,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 当 (Tō, Ataru, Ateru) – Hit, Target, Appropriate 当 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), あ.たる, あ.てる (Kunyomi) Meaning: hit, be on target, appropriate, bear, apply, per A phono-semantic compound. The original character is said to depict a person hitting a drum, signifying ‘hit’ or ‘strike.’ It evolved to encompass meanings of being ‘on target,’

JLPT N3 Kanji: 化 – Master the Character for Change and Transformation 化 Readings: カ, ケ (Onyomi), ば.ける, ば.かす, ふ.ける, け.する (Kunyomi) Meaning: Change, convert, transform, enchant, -ize, influence, take the form of The character 化 combines 人 (rén) “person” and 匕 (bǐ), which often represents an “inverted person.” This visually represents transformation or change

JLPT N3 Kanji: 調 (chō, shiraberu) – Investigate, Tune, Arrange 調 Readings: チョウ (Onyomi), しら, しらべ, ととの, ととのう (Kunyomi) Meaning: investigate, tune, negotiate, prepare, adjust, arrange The kanji 調 combines 言 (word, speech) and 周 (around, circumference). This combination suggests the idea of going around and collecting information with words, leading to meanings like “investigate,”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 現 (Gen) – Appearance, Reality, and Expression 現 Readings: ゲン (Onyomi), あらわ, あらわれる, あらわす (Kunyomi) Meaning: present, actual; to appear, to show up, to express The kanji 現 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines ⾒ (mi, “to see”) as the semantic component and ⽞ (gen, “dark, profound”) as the phonetic component. This

JLPT N3 Kanji: Master 最 (sai, motto mo) – The Kanji for ‘Most’ & ‘Best’ 最 Readings: サイ (Onyomi), もっとも (Kunyomi) Meaning: most, best, extreme The kanji 最 is composed of two parts: 曰 (ひらび – “to say” or “sun,” here suggesting the ‘ultimate’ or ‘highest’ point) and the bottom part 冒 (ぼう – “to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 経 (Kei/Kyou) – Pass Through, Manage 経 Readings: ケイ, キョウ (Onyomi), へる, たつ, つね (Kunyomi) Meaning: go through, elapsed, longitude, manage, thread, warp The character 経 combines 糸 (thread) and 巠 (a loom or “pass through”). It depicts threads passing through a loom, forming the warp. This gives rise to meanings related

JLPT N3 Kanji: 戦 (Sen/Tatakau) – War, Battle, Fight 戦 Readings: セン (Onyomi), いくさ, たたか.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: War, battle, fight The character 戦 is composed of 戈 (hoko – spear/halberd) and 単 (tan – a phonetic component indicating ‘single’ or ‘alone’, here suggesting something ‘violent’ or ‘cutting’). Together, they depict a weapon (spear) in conflict,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 表 (hyō, omote) – Understanding “Surface, Express” 表 Readings: ヒョウ (Onyomi), おもて, あらわす, あらわれる (Kunyomi) Meaning: surface, front, outside, to express, to show The kanji 表 is said to be a pictograph of an outer garment or vest, emphasizing the “surface” or “outside.” This meaning extended to “to show” or “to express”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 全 (zen) – Mastering “All” and “Whole” 全 Readings: ゼン (Onyomi), まった.く, すべ.て (Kunyomi) Meaning: All, whole, entire, complete The kanji 全 (zen) is composed of 人 (human) and 工 (tool/work), which originally depicted a person completing a task or an entire set of tools. It evolved to mean “whole” or “complete.”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 決 (Ketsu) – Master ‘Decide’ and ‘Determine’ 決 Readings: ケツ (Onyomi), き.める, き.まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Decide, determine, fix, agree, resolve The kanji 決 (ketsu) combines the radical 氵 (water) and 夬 (kai), which originally depicted a “bowstring release” or “decision.” The water radical suggests “to flow out, to well up, to pour,”

JLPT N3 Kanji: Learn 「関」 – Barrier, Connection & Concern 関 Readings: カン (Onyomi), せき, -ぜき, かか.わる (Kunyomi) Meaning: barrier, gateway, relation, concern The kanji 関 (かん) is formed by combining 門 (もん – gate) with a depiction of a bolt or bar across it, symbolizing a barrier or a point of connection/closure. It evolved