Master advanced Japanese grammar with our comprehensive JLPT N3 Kanji guides. Includes detailed explanations, native-level examples, and practice exercises to help you succeed in the JLPT N3 exam.
JLPT N3 Kanji: 存 (son) – To Exist, Store, Preserve 存 Readings: ソン, ゾン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: exist, suppose, be on hand, store Ideogrammatic character of a child (子) inside a shelter/house (广). Represents “to exist,” “to reside.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 存 consists of 6 […]
JLPT N3 Kanji: 速 – Mastering Speed and Quickness 速 Readings: ソク (Onyomi), はや-い, はや-める, すみ-やか (Kunyomi) Meaning: Speed, fast, quick Formed from the radical 辶 (しんにょう), representing movement or road, and 束 (たば) which means “bundle” or “to tie.” In this context, 束 also functions phonetically to give the “soku” sound and implies being
JLPT N3 Kanji: 易 (やさしい / イ) – Mastering the Kanji for “Easy” 易 Readings: イ (Onyomi), やさしい (Kunyomi) Meaning: easy, simple, readily The character 易 is a pictograph of a chameleon, often interpreted as something that changes easily. This leads to its meaning of “easy” or “changeable.” View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to
JLPT N3 Kanji: 登 (noboru, tou) – To Ascend, Climb, Appear 登 Readings: トウ, ト (Onyomi), のぼ.る (Kunyomi) Meaning: To ascend, to climb, to appear, to register The kanji 登 combines the radical 癶 (hatsu, meaning “footprints” or “climbing”) and 豆 (tou, meaning “bean”, used here phonetically). It depicts two feet climbing a platform or
JLPT N3 Kanji: 師 (Teacher, Master) – Unlock Your Japanese Potential! 師 Readings: シ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Teacher, master, expert, army, war The kanji 師 combines 阝 (a variant of 阜, meaning “mound, hill”) representing a gathering place, and 帀 (originally depicting a kind of cap or turban, symbolizing authority or a group leader, and
JLPT N3 Kanji: 否 (hi, ina, iya) – Mastering Denial and Negation 否 Readings: ヒ (Onyomi), いな, いや (Kunyomi) Meaning: negate, no, refuse, decline, deny The kanji 否 is thought to be a combination of 口 (kuchi, “mouth”) and 疋 (hiki, “small piece of cloth” or “foot”), which collectively suggest the act of refusal or
JLPT N3 Kanji: 客 (Kyaku) – Master the Kanji for “Guest/Customer” 客 Readings: キャク, カク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Guest, customer, visitor The kanji 客 is composed of 宀 (ukanmuri), which represents a roof or house, and 各 (kaku), which indicates “each” or “every” and implies movement or arrival. Together, it suggests someone who comes to
JLPT N3 Kanji: 処 (sho, tokoro) – Mastering “Dispose Of, Place” 処 Readings: ショ (Onyomi), ところ, おる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Dispose of, manage, deal with, place, office, punishment. 形声 (けいせい) – Phono-semantic compound. Originally depicting someone walking slowly (夊) towards a cliff/shelter (厂), implying dwelling or being in a place. Developed meanings related to handling situations
JLPT N3 Kanji: 積 (Seki, Tsumu, Tsumoru) – Mastering Accumulation and Piling Up! 積 Readings: セキ (Onyomi), つ.む, つ.もる, -づ.み (Kunyomi) Meaning: to accumulate, to pile up, to load, to stack, product (math) The kanji 積 combines 禾 (nogi-hen, meaning “grain” or “cereal”) and 責 (seki, which originally depicted a thorny plant or a shell
JLPT N3 Kanji: 科 (ka) – Department, Course, Section 科 Readings: カ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Department, course, section, branch, family (in science) The kanji 科 combines 禾 (nogihen), meaning “grain” or “cereal,” and 斗 (to), meaning “ladle” or “measure.” Originally, it represented the act of measuring grains, which involved classification or categorization. This concept evolved
JLPT N3 Kanji: 路 (Road, Path) – Your Guide to Mastering Michi and Ro! 路 Readings: ロ (Onyomi), みち (Kunyomi) Meaning: road, path, street The kanji 路 combines 足 (ashi, “foot” or “leg”) on the left, which is the radical, indicating something related to walking or movement. The right part is 各 (kaku, “each” or
JLPT N3 Kanji: 光 (hikari) – Exploring the Kanji for “Light” 光 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), ひかり, ひかる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Light, ray, glow The kanji 光 is a pictograph depicting a person (儿) with light (火) shining from their head, or light shining above a flame. It represents the concept of brightness and illumination. View JLPT
JLPT N3 Kanji: Mastering 突 (Totsu / Tsuku) – Pierce, Thrust, Sudden 突 Readings: トツ (Onyomi), つ-く, つ-き (Kunyomi) Meaning: Pierce, thrust, sudden, strike The kanji 突 is said to depict a dog jumping out of a hole (穴) or a pestle (T-shaped object) pushing into something. It graphically conveys the idea of thrusting, pushing,
JLPT N3 Kanji 値: Understanding Price and Value in Japanese 値 Readings: チ (Onyomi), ね, あたい (Kunyomi) Meaning: price, value, cost 形声文字 (Keisei Moji – phono-semantic character). Formed from the radical 人 (person) on the left, indicating something related to human transactions or conditions, and 直 (straight, correct) on the right, which gives the sound
JLPT N3 Kanji: 敗 (hai, yabureru) – Understanding Defeat and Failure 敗 Readings: ハイ (Onyomi), やぶ-れる, やぶ-る (Kunyomi) Meaning: defeat, lose, failure, be beaten, broken Formed from 貝 (shell/money, indicating value or loss) and ⺅ (a component related to ‘decay’ or ‘destruction’). Originally meant to break or tear, especially fabric, and later evolved to mean
JLPT N3 Kanji: 満 (man, michiru) – Fullness and Satisfaction 満 Readings: マン (Onyomi), みちる, みつ, みたす (Kunyomi) Meaning: full, fullness, satisfy, complete The character combines 水 (water) and 𠄞 (a phonetic component indicating “fullness” or “level”). It originally depicted water filling something up to the brim. View JLPT N3 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N3 Kanji: 程 (hodo, tei) – Extent, Degree, About 程 Readings: テイ (Onyomi), ほど (Kunyomi) Meaning: extent, degree, amount, about, standard The kanji 程 (てい, ほど) depicts a process of measuring or standardizing grain. The left radical 禾 (nogihen) means “grain,” and the right part 呈 (tei) means “to present” or “to show.” Together,
JLPT N3 Kanji: 阪 (Slope, Osaka) – Master “Han” Readings! 阪 Readings: ハン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Osaka, slope The kanji 阪 originally depicted a sloping landform or hillside. Over time, it became predominantly used phonetically in the name ‘Osaka’ (大阪), where it retains a connection to its original meaning of a ‘slope’ or ‘hill’ in
JLPT N3 Kanji: 良 (ryō / yo.i) – Meaning, Readings, and Examples 良 Readings: リョウ (Onyomi), よ.い, よ.く (Kunyomi) Meaning: good, pleasing, skilled The kanji 良 is said to depict a person standing upright, symbolizing “good” or “uprightness.” Alternatively, some theories suggest it depicts a utensil with a good shape. View JLPT N3 Kanji List
JLPT N3 Kanji: Master 達 (Tatsu/Tachi) for Reaching Your Goals! 達 Readings: タツ (Onyomi), -たち, -だち (Kunyomi) Meaning: reach, arrive, attain, skilled, expert; plural suffix The character 達 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The radical 辶 (辵), meaning ‘walk’ or ‘movement,’ forms the semantic component, indicating motion. The right part, 羊, serves as a phonetic component.
