JLPT N3 Kanji: 雪 (Snow) – Your Winter Wonderland Guide! 雪 Readings: セツ (Onyomi), ゆき (Kunyomi) Meaning: Snow The kanji 雪 combines the radical 雨 (rain) with an element that suggests sweeping or falling, depicting precipitation falling and accumulating like snow. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 雪 […]

JLPT N3 Kanji: 忘 (Wasure – To Forget) 忘 Readings: ボウ (Onyomi), わす(れる) (Kunyomi) Meaning: forget, leave behind The kanji 忘 combines the radical 心 (kokoro), meaning “heart” or “mind,” with 亡 (bou), meaning “perish” or “lost.” Together, it literally depicts the mind or heart being lost or gone, thus conveying the meaning of “to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 歯 (ha/shi) – Tooth, Teeth 歯 Readings: シ (Onyomi), は (Kunyomi) Meaning: Tooth, teeth The kanji 歯 is a pictograph depicting teeth lined up, representing the meaning of “tooth” or “teeth.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 歯 is written with 12 strokes. It starts

JLPT N3 Kanji: 御 (go, gyo, on, o-, mi-) – The Honorific Prefix and Control 御 Readings: ギョ, ゴ (Onyomi), おん, お-, み- (Kunyomi) Meaning: honorific/respectful prefix; control; manipulate; govern The character 御 is derived from a pictogram of a person holding a whip (or reins) and standing behind a chariot. This visual depicts the

JLPT N3 Kanji: 陽 (YŌ) – The Bright Side of Japanese 陽 Readings: ヨウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: sunshine, positive, male principle, Yang 形声文字 (Phono-semantic character). Formed from 阜 (hill/mound) on the left (radical 阝) and 昜 (sun’s rays rising, bright, expansive) on the right. The 阜 radical indicates a place, and 昜 provides the meaning

JLPT N3 Kanji: Mastering 吸 (Suu/Kyuu) – Inhale, Suck, Absorb 吸 Readings: キュウ (Onyomi), す.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: inhale, suck, absorb, smoke, sip The kanji 吸 is composed of 口 (kuchi), meaning “mouth,” and 及 (kyū), which signifies “to reach” or “to extend.” Together, these components convey the idea of drawing something into the mouth, leading

JLPT N3 Kanji: 盗 – Understanding “To Steal” 盗 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), ぬす.む (Kunyomi) Meaning: steal, rob, pilfer The kanji 盗 combines 涎 (よだれ – drool) and 皿 (さら – dish), suggesting someone intensely desiring or looking longingly at a dish, leading to the meaning of “to steal” or “to take covertly. View JLPT N3

JLPT N3 Kanji: 暗 (AN, KURA.I) – Master “Dark” 暗 Readings: アン (Onyomi), くら.い, くら.む, くら.ます (Kunyomi) Meaning: dark, gloomy, hidden, secret 形声文字 (けいせいもじ – phono-semantic character). Formed from 日 (ひ – sun) and 音 (おん – sound/noise, phonetic component). It depicts the sun being obscured, leading to darkness. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How

JLPT N3 Kanji: 寝 (To Sleep) 寝 Readings: シン (Onyomi), ね, ねる (Kunyomi) Meaning: to sleep, to lie down The kanji 寝 combines 宀 (roof, house), 爿 (bed, split wood), and an element representing a person leaning or lying down. It depicts a person sleeping on a bed inside a house. View JLPT N3 Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji: 到 (Tō / Itaru) – Mastering Arrival and Reaching 到 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), いたる (Kunyomi) Meaning: arrive, reach, attain, result in The kanji 到 (tō/itaru) is composed of 至 (reaching) and 刀 (sword/knife). The combination suggests reaching a destination quickly or decisively, or arriving at a certain point. View JLPT N3 Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji: 掛 (kakeru/kakaru) – Master its Meanings and Uses 掛 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), か.ける, か.かる (Kunyomi) Meaning: hang, suspend, depend, arrive at, hook, plant (a tree), cover, spend The kanji 掛 is composed of the radical 手 (て), meaning “hand,” and 卦 (け), which acts as a phonetic component but also originally depicted

JLPT N3 Kanji: 晴 (hare) – Clear Weather & More 晴 Readings: セイ (Onyomi), はれ, はれる, はらす (Kunyomi) Meaning: Clear weather; fine; sunny; to clear up; to be dispelled The kanji 晴 combines 日 (sun, day) and 青 (blue, green, or pure). Together, they represent the sun appearing in a clear, blue sky, thus signifying

JLPT N3 Kanji: 悲 (Hi / Kana) – Mastering the Kanji for “Sad” 悲 Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), かな(しい), かな(しむ) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Sad, grieve, lament The kanji 悲 combines 廿 (many sounds, clamor) and 心 (heart), symbolizing a heart filled with many sounds, which represents sorrow, sadness, or grief. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to

JLPT N3 Kanji: 酒 (Sake, Alcohol) – A Toast to Japanese Vocabulary 酒 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), さけ, さか (Kunyomi) Meaning: Alcohol; sake The kanji 酒 is a pictograph depicting a wine jar with contents. The left radical 酉 (sake jar) represents a vessel for fermented liquids, and the right component relates to liquid or water,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 暮 (kureru, kurasu) – Understanding Livelihood and Evening 暮 Readings: ボ (Onyomi), く, くれる, くれ (Kunyomi) Meaning: livelihood, make a living, spend (time), evening, twilight The character 暮 combines the radical 日 (sun/day) with the component 莫 (ばく), which means “to set” or “to be dark/evening”. Together, it signifies the setting of

JLPT N3 Kanji: 草 (kusa) – Grass, Weed 草 Readings: ソウ (Onyomi), くさ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Grass, weed, herb The kanji 草 is a pictograph depicting lush grass or plants growing. The top radical 艹 (くさかんむり) literally means “grass” and is commonly found in kanji related to plants. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write

JLPT N3 Kanji: 折 – Break, Fold, Bend 折 Readings: セツ (Onyomi), お.る, お.り, お.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: break, fold, bend, snap, occasion, opportunity The kanji 折 is a compound of the radical 扌 (tehen, “hand”) and the component 斤 (kin, “axe” or “cut”). Together, they suggest the action of breaking or cutting something with one’s

JLPT N3 Kanji: 緒 (Sho/Cho) – Connecting the Dots! 緒 Readings: ショ, チョ (Onyomi), お, いとぐち, おび (Kunyomi) Meaning: cord, strap, tie; beginning, in process, together The kanji 緒 combines 糸 (いと, thread) and 者 (もの, person/thing). The 者 part acts as a phonetic component, giving the “sho” sound, and also contributes to the idea

JLPT N3 Kanji: 閉 (HEI, to.jiru) – Close, Shut 閉 Readings: ヘイ (Onyomi), と.じる, と.ざす, し.める, し.まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Close, shut, block up Phono-semantic compound (形声): 門 (gate) + 才 (sound component). The gate radical clearly indicates something related to an opening or closing. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order

JLPT N3 Kanji: 君 – Mastering “You” and “Ruler” 君 Readings: くん (Onyomi), きみ (Kunyomi) Meaning: you, mister, ruler, sovereign, lord The kanji 君 originally depicted a hand holding a scepter or staff, symbolizing authority. It later evolved to represent a ruler or lord, and by extension, a person addressed with respect or familiarity (like