N3 Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji: 夢 (Yume) – Unraveling the Kanji for “Dream” 夢 Readings: ム (Onyomi), ゆめ (Kunyomi) Meaning: dream The character 夢 (yume) is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 宀 (mián), a roof radical, indicating enclosure or sleep, with an ancient form of an eye or sleep, and 夕 (yū), meaning “evening” or “night.” Together, […]

JLPT N3 Kanji: 迷 (mayo.u) – Getting Lost and Perplexed 迷 Readings: メイ (Onyomi), まよ.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: lost, astray, perplexed The radical ⻌ (しんにょう) represents a path or movement, while the component 米 (こめ) often indicates confusion or disorder. Together, they suggest getting lost or becoming perplexed on a path. View JLPT N3 Kanji List

JLPT N3 Kanji: 遊 (asobu) – Play, Amuse, Travel 遊 Readings: ユウ (Onyomi), あそぶ, あそび (Kunyomi) Meaning: Play, amuse, travel, stroll The kanji 遊 combines the radical 辵 (movement, going) and 斿 (a banner swaying, suggesting leisurely movement or a trip). Together, they imply wandering or moving about freely, leading to the meaning of playing

JLPT N3 Kanji: 逃 – Master the Art of Escape! 逃 Readings: トウ (Onyomi), に.げる, に.がす, のが.す, のが.れる (Kunyomi) Meaning: escape, flee, run away The kanji 逃 combines the radical 辶 (しんにょう), meaning “walk” or “movement,” with the component 兆 (ちょう), which signifies “omen” or “sign.” Together, it conveys the idea of “moving away at

JLPT N3 Kanji: 探 (tan, saga.su, sagu.ru) – Search, Explore, Investigate 探 Readings: タン (Onyomi), さが.す, さぐ.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: Search, look for, investigate, explore, probe The kanji 探 combines the hand radical (扌, meaning “hand” or “action involving hands”) with a phonetic component (㮠) that suggests “deep” or “explore.” Together, it represents the action of

JLPT N3 Kanji: 列 (Retsu) – Mastering “Row, Line, Column” 列 Readings: レツ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Row, line, column, queue The etymology of 列 (retsu) is often depicted as a person or object divided or arranged in order, leading to the meaning of “lining up” or “forming a row.” It combines the radical 歹 (gai/death,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 似 – Master the Kanji for “Resemble”! 似 Readings: ジ (Onyomi), にる, にせる (Kunyomi) Meaning: resemble, be similar, look alike 形声文字 (けいせいもじ – phono-semantic character). The left part 人 (ひと・にんべん) provides the semantic component, indicating a person. The right part 㕄 (a variant of 爾) provides the phonetic component ジ, also conveying

JLPT N3 Kanji: 束 (taba, soku) – Master the Meaning of “Bundle” 束 Readings: ソク (Onyomi), たば, たば.ねる, つか, つか.ねる (Kunyomi) Meaning: bundle, bunch, tie, organize The kanji 束 is a pictogram of a bundle of wood or grain tied together, representing the idea of bundling or tying things. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How

JLPT N3 Kanji: 互 (tagai/go) – Understanding Mutual Relationships 互 Readings: ゴ (Onyomi), たが.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: mutual, reciprocal The kanji 互 is thought to be a pictogram of two people facing each other, symbolizing interaction or reciprocity. It implies a back-and-forth action or relationship. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order

JLPT N3 Kanji: 笑 (Warau/Emu) – Laugh & Smile! 笑 Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), わら(う), え(む) (Kunyomi) Meaning: Laugh, smile The kanji 笑 depicts a person with an open mouth, symbolizing laughter or joy. The top component, 竹 (bamboo), suggests a vibrant, perhaps even “springy” or expressive quality, while the lower part evokes something opening up

JLPT N3 Kanji: 痛 (Itami) – Understanding Pain and More! 痛 Readings: ツウ (Onyomi), いた.い, いた.む, いた.める, いた.ましい (Kunyomi) Meaning: Pain, ache, sore, Itai (ouch!) The radical 疒 (やまいだれ, sickness) on the left indicates illness or disease. The right component 甬 (よう, yō) is a phonetic element that also suggests “to rush forth” or “flow

JLPT N3 Kanji: 欲 (yoku) – Desire, Want, Greed 欲 Readings: ヨク (Onyomi), ほっ.する, ほしい (Kunyomi) Meaning: desire, want, greed The kanji 欲 combines 谷 (valley, representing emptiness or a yearning) and 欠 (to lack, yawn, or be deficient). Together, these components convey the idea of an emptiness or lack that one desires to fill,

JLPT N3 Kanji: 越 (etsu, ko.su, ko.eru) – Cross, Surpass, Exceed 越 Readings: エツ (Onyomi), こ・す, こ・える (Kunyomi) Meaning: Surpass, cross over, move to, exceed, go over The kanji 越 combines elements suggesting movement and passing. The radical 走 (run) indicates motion, while other components imply going beyond or surpassing a boundary. View JLPT N3

JLPT N3 Kanji: 絵 (e, kai) – Mastering the Kanji for “Picture” 絵 Readings: カイ, エ (Onyomi), え (Kunyomi) Meaning: picture, drawing, painting, sketch The kanji 絵 combines the radical 糸 (thread) and the component 会 (assemble, meet). Originally, it depicted patterns woven into textiles or designs painted on cloth, evolving to mean “picture” or

JLPT N3 Kanji: 願 (negau, GAN) – The Kanji for Wishes and Requests 願 Readings: ガン (Onyomi), ねが(う) (Kunyomi) Meaning: wish, hope, request, prayer, petition A phono-semantic compound. It combines 頁 (けつ/おおがい), meaning “head” or “face,” which often relates to desire or prayer, and 原 (はら), which provides the phonetic element (ゲン, later becoming ガン).

JLPT N3 Kanji: 戻 (Modoru) – To Return, Go Back 戻 Readings: レイ (Onyomi), もど.る, もど.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: return, go back, revert The kanji 戻 combines 尸 (shikabane), meaning “corpse” or often representing a turning body or roof, and 旦 (tan), meaning “dawn” or “morning”. While the components suggest a complex origin, the character essentially

JLPT N3 Kanji: 遠 (en, too.i) – Far, Distant 遠 Readings: エン (Onyomi), とお.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: Far, distant The kanji 遠 combines 袁 (えん) representing “round” or “distant,” and 辶 (しんにょう), the radical for “walk” or “road.” Together, they suggest walking a long, round, or distant path, leading to the meaning of “far” or “distant.”

JLPT N3 Kanji: 息 (iki) – Master the Kanji for “Breath” and More! 息 Readings: ソク (Onyomi), いき (Kunyomi) Meaning: breath, son, interest (on money) The kanji 息 combines 自 (self, nose) and 心 (heart, mind). It originally depicted a nose and a heart, symbolizing the act of breathing or the essence of life associated

JLPT N3 Kanji: 恐 (おそれる) – Facing Your Fears in Japanese 恐 Readings: キョウ (Onyomi), おそ-れる, おそ-ろしい, おそ-らく (Kunyomi) Meaning: fear, be afraid, dread Phono-semantic compound. Formed from 巩 (gǒng, “firm; solid”), which acts as the phonetic component, and 心 (xīn, “heart”). The original meaning depicts the heart feeling stiff or constricted due to fear.

JLPT N3 Kanji: 犯 (han, oka.su) – Crime, Offense, Commit 犯 Readings: ハン (Onyomi), おか.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: crime, sin, offense, to commit, to violate The radical 犭 (animal/beast) suggests something wild or aggressive, combined with 凡 (general/common), indicating a common transgression or wrongdoing. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The