N3 Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji: 怖 (kowa – Fearful, Afraid) 怖 Readings: フ (Onyomi), こわ-い, こわ-がる, おそ-れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: fearful, dreadful, afraid The kanji 怖 combines the radical 心 (heart/mind), which signifies emotion, with 布 (cloth/spread out), used phonetically for its sound and possibly implying a feeling spreading. Together, it conveys the emotion of fear spreading through […]

JLPT N3 Kanji: 眠 (nemu, min) – Sleep, Sleepy 眠 Readings: ミン (Onyomi), ねむ.る, ねむ.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: Sleep, sleepy The kanji 眠 combines 目 (eye) and 民 (people, common). The 民 element acts phonetically to represent the sound and also implies “closed” or “covered,” suggesting the eyes closing for sleep. View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 煙 (Smoke) – Master this Essential Character! 煙 Readings: エン (Onyomi), けむり, けむる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Smoke The kanji 煙 combines the radical 火 (fire) on the left, and 垔 (meaning “block” or “mound” and also serving as a phonetic component) on the right. This combination visually suggests smoke rising and being contained

JLPT N3 Kanji: 腹 (hara / fuku) – Abdomen, Stomach 腹 Readings: フク (Onyomi), はら (Kunyomi) Meaning: abdomen, stomach, belly 形声文字 (けいせいもじ): The left component 月 (にくづき, niku-zuki, a variant of 肉) represents “flesh” or “body part,” indicating the meaning. The right component 復 (フク, fuku) provides the phonetic element. View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 鳴 (naku, naru, narasu) – To Cry, Ring, Sound 鳴 Readings: メイ (Onyomi), な(く), な(る), な(らす) (Kunyomi) Meaning: To cry (of animals), to sing (of birds), to ring, to sound The kanji 鳴 (mei, naku, naru, narasu) is a phono-semantic compound. It combines the radical 口 (kuchi – mouth) on the left

JLPT N3 Kanji: 皆 (minna / mina) – Mastering “All” and “Everyone” 皆 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), みな, みんな (Kunyomi) Meaning: All, everyone, everything The top part, 比 (ひ), depicts two people side-by-side. The bottom part, 白 (しろ), means “white” or “bright.” Together, it conveys the idea of “all people” or “everything clear/visible.” View JLPT N3

JLPT N3 Kanji: 疲 (Tsukare) – Mastering the Kanji for “Tired” 疲 Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), つか.れる, つか.らす (Kunyomi) Meaning: Tired, fatigued, exhausted The radical 疒 (sickness) indicates a state of unwellness or distress, while 皮 (skin, covering) suggests a worn-out or “peeled” feeling. Together, they convey the meaning of being physically or mentally exhausted. View

JLPT N3 Kanji: 杯 (hai/sakazuki) – Mastering the Counter for Cups! 杯 Readings: ハイ (Onyomi), さかずき, 〜はい, 〜ばい, 〜ぱい (Kunyomi) Meaning: Cup; glass; counter for cups/glasses/squid The kanji 杯 is a phono-semantic character. It combines a simplified form of 木 (tree, representing a wooden vessel) with 不 (giving the sound). The overall form represents a

JLPT N3 Kanji: 祖 – Unlocking the Meaning of Ancestors and Origins 祖 Readings: ソ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: ancestor, pioneer, founder, progenitor The kanji 祖 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines the radical 示 (しめす), meaning “altar” or “show,” and the phonetic component 且 (ショ), which originally depicted a stacked offering table or a male

JLPT N3 Kanji: 泳 (Swim) – Master this Essential Character! 泳 Readings: エイ (Onyomi), およ-ぐ (Kunyomi) Meaning: swim Phono-semantic compound (形声字): 氵 (water radical) indicates the meaning, and 永 (eternal, long) acts as the phonetic component, suggesting the continuous, flowing motion of swimming. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The

JLPT N3 Kanji: 怒 – Mastering Anger (Do, Ikaru, Okoru) 怒 Readings: ド (Onyomi), いか(る), おこ(る) (Kunyomi) Meaning: anger, get angry The kanji 怒 combines the radical 心 (heart/mind) at the bottom, symbolizing emotions, with 奴 (slave/servant) at the top. While 奴 also gives the sound “do” or “nu”, its original meaning in this context

JLPT N3 Kanji: 貧 (Hin/Bin) – Understanding Poverty and Lacking 貧 Readings: ヒン, ビン (Onyomi), まずしい (Kunyomi) Meaning: poor, poverty, lacking The radical 貝 (かい – shell/money) signifies wealth or valuables, and the component 分 (ぶん – divide) suggests division or reduction, collectively conveying the idea of “poor” or “lacking.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 昔 (Mukashi) – Exploring the Past 昔 Readings: セキ (Onyomi), むかし (Kunyomi) Meaning: old times, past The character 昔 (mù) originally depicted a flood of water passing under the sun (日). This imagery conveys the idea of a long time passing, representing “olden times” or “the past.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 窓 (Mado) – The Window to Japanese Learning 窓 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), まど (Kunyomi) Meaning: Window The kanji 窓 is a pictographic character depicting a window. Its form evolved from ancient characters that illustrate an opening in a wall, often with a frame. The top part suggests a covering or roof, and

JLPT N3 Kanji: 礼 (Rei) – The Art of Japanese Gratitude and Etiquette 礼 Readings: レイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Bow, ceremony, thanks, remuneration The kanji 礼 combines 示 (shimesu), meaning “altar” or “to show,” and 豊 (yutaka), originally depicting a vessel for rituals or an abundant harvest. Together, it represents a ritual or ceremony performed

JLPT N3 Kanji: 慣 – Master Being “Accustomed” and “Skilled” 慣 Readings: カン (Onyomi), なれる, ならす (Kunyomi) Meaning: accustomed, to get used to, skilled The kanji 慣 combines the radical 忄 (shìn, a variant of 心 “heart, mind”) with 貫 (guàn “to pierce; to penetrate; to go through”). It suggests a “heart” or “mind” that

JLPT N3 Kanji: 洗 (Sen/Ara.u) – Master the Art of Washing! 洗 Readings: セン (Onyomi), あら.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: Wash The kanji 洗 is composed of the radical 氵 (water) and 先 (to go before, to precede, also providing the phonetic element). It signifies the act of cleansing or purifying with water. View JLPT N3 Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji: 誤 – Mastering Mistakes and Errors 誤 Readings: ゴ (Onyomi), あやま-る, あやま-り (Kunyomi) Meaning: mistake, error, to make a mistake 形声文字 (Keisei Moji). The left part 言 (speech) suggests meaning, and the right part 吾 (I/my) indicates sound. It originally refers to errors or misunderstandings in speech. View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 娘 (Musume) – Daughter, Girl 娘 Readings: (Onyomi), むすめ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Daughter, girl The kanji 娘 is composed of 女 (on’na, meaning woman) and 良 (ryō, meaning good, skillful, beautiful). Historically, 良 was sometimes used phonetically or to denote “youth” or “beauty.” Thus, 娘 refers to a young, good, or beautiful woman,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 吹 (ふく) – To Blow, To Breathe 吹 Readings: スイ (Onyomi), ふく (Kunyomi) Meaning: blow, breathe, puff, emit, spout The kanji 吹 combines 口 (kuchi, ‘mouth’) and 欠 (ketsu, ‘lack’ or ‘yawn’). The 欠 component here is used phonetically to suggest ‘breath’ or ‘wind,’ while 口 clearly indicates the action involving the