N4 Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji: 仕 (shi, tsuka.eru) – The Kanji of Serving and Doing 仕 Readings: シ (Onyomi), つか.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: Serve, attend, doing, official, obey, manage, work, make, do The kanji 仕 combines the radical 人 (person) and the component 士 (scholar/samurai). It literally depicts a person serving or engaged in work, hence its meanings […]

JLPT N4 Kanji: 医 (い) – Doctor, Medicine 医 Readings: イ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: medicine, doctor The kanji 医 originally depicted a medical vessel or instrument on the left, and a person using a tool to extract something on the right. It evolved to represent the act of healing and thus “medicine” or “doctor.” View

JLPT N4 Kanji: 英 (ei) – Master English, Britain, and Heroes! 英 Readings: エイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: English; excellent; hero; Britain The kanji 英 originally depicted a flower or a blossom, symbolizing excellence or brilliance. Over time, its meaning expanded to include ‘hero’ or ‘bravery.’ Due to the sound ‘ei’ being used for ‘England’ (英国

JLPT N4 Kanji: 験 (KEN) – Test Your Knowledge! 験 Readings: ケン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: test, examine, verify, effect, validity The kanji 験 is formed from 馬 (uma: horse) and 僉 (ken: all, together, to examine). The original meaning was “to inspect horses,” especially to check their quality or to verify their breed. Over time,

JLPT N4 Kanji: 親 (Oya, Shin) – Parent, Intimacy 親 Readings: シン (Onyomi), おや, したしい, したしむ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Parent, intimacy, relative, familiarity The kanji 親 is composed of 立 (to stand, establish) and 見 (to see). Originally, it referred to seeing or meeting, particularly in the context of family or close relations. Over time, its

JLPT N4 Kanji: 映 – Master Reflect, Project, Shine 映 Readings: エイ (Onyomi), うつ.る, うつ.す, は.える (Kunyomi) Meaning: Reflect, Project, Shine The kanji 映 combines 日 (hi), meaning “sun” or “day,” and 央 (ou), which in its ancient form depicted a person with a large head or something prominent in the center, conveying the idea

JLPT N4 Kanji: 早 (Hayai) – Master the Meaning of “Early” and “Fast” 早 Readings: ソウ, サッ (Onyomi), はや-い, はや-める, はや-まる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Early, Fast 早 is a pictograph depicting the sun (日) rising above something, resembling a bird flying up, symbolizing the concept of “early” or “morning.” View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to

JLPT N4 Kanji: 銀 (Gin) – Master the Kanji for “Silver” 銀 Readings: ギン (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: silver The radical 金 (metal/gold) combined with 艮 (meaning stopping or backward, here used for sound). It implies a metal that looks like a “stopping” or “calm” version of gold, hence silver. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How

JLPT N4 Kanji: 族 – Family, Tribe, Clan 族 Readings: ゾク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: Family, tribe, clan The kanji 族 combines 旗 (flag) and 矢 (arrow). It is thought to depict a flag or banner used to identify a group of people, symbolizing a tribe or clan. The original meaning relates to a group of

JLPT N4 Kanji: 試 (Shi / Kokoro.miru, Tame.su) – To Try, To Test 試 Readings: シ (Onyomi), こころ.みる, ため.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: try, test, attempt, experiment The kanji 試 combines 言 (kotoba/word) and 弋 (shiki/stake, to shoot). It originally depicted aiming with words or by shooting to check accuracy, leading to its meaning of ‘to try,’

JLPT N4 Kanji: 待 – Master the Art of Waiting! 待 Readings: タイ (Onyomi), ま.つ, ま.ち (Kunyomi) Meaning: wait, depend on, entertain The kanji 待 combines 彳 (gyōninben), the “going person” radical, indicating movement or action related to people, and 寺 (ji), meaning “temple” or phonetically used to convey the idea of “holding” or “serving.”

JLPT N4 Kanji: 質 (Shitsu) – Mastering Quality, Substance, and Questions! 質 Readings: シツ, チ (Onyomi), たち (Kunyomi) Meaning: Quality, matter, substance, question, pawn, hostage The kanji 質 originally depicted a person (斤) carrying money or shells (貝) as collateral, leading to meanings related to pledging or pawning. Over time, it also evolved to represent

JLPT N4 Kanji: 病 (Byō/Yamai) – Mastering Sickness and Illness 病 Readings: ビョウ (Onyomi), やまい, やむ (Kunyomi) Meaning: sickness, illness, disease The radical 疒 represents a sickbed or a reclining person, symbolizing illness. The right component (丙) is a phonetic element that also carries a nuance of something closed or confined, reinforcing the idea of

JLPT N4 Kanji: 店 (Mise/Ten) – Your Guide to “Shop” 店 Readings: テン (Onyomi), みせ, たな (Kunyomi) Meaning: shop, store The kanji 店 combines 广 (shelter, wide) and 占 (to occupy). It originally represented a shelter where one occupies a space to sell goods, thus evolving to mean “shop” or “store.” View JLPT N4 Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji: 着 (CHAKU, KI.RU) – Arrive, Wear 着 Readings: チャク, ジャク (Onyomi), き.る, き.せる, つ.く, つ.ける (Kunyomi) Meaning: arrive, wear, don, counter for suits of clothing This kanji is a pictograph of a person wearing clothes, with the top part representing clothing and the bottom part being a phonetic component or a stylized

JLPT N4 Kanji: 楽 (gaku, raku, tano.shii) – Master the Meanings of Easy, Fun, and Music! 楽 Readings: ガク, ラク (Onyomi), たの.しい, たの.しむ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Easy, comfortable, music, pleasure The kanji 楽 originally depicted a stringed instrument, symbolizing music. From this, it evolved to represent the pleasure and enjoyment derived from music, leading to the

JLPT N4 Kanji: 究 (Kyuu) – Delve into Research! 究 Readings: キュウ (Onyomi), きわ.める (Kunyomi) Meaning: research, investigate, delve into The kanji 究 (kyū) is composed of 穴 (ana), meaning “hole” or “cave,” and 九 (kyū), meaning “nine” (which acts as a phonetic component here, but also suggests “deep” or “thorough”). The combination suggests delving

JLPT N4 Kanji: 足 (Ashi, Soku) – Foot, Leg, Suffice 足 Readings: ソク (Onyomi), あし, た.りる, た.る, た.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: foot; leg; be sufficient; suffice A pictograph of a foot or leg, emphasizing the sole. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 足 has 7 strokes. It begins with

JLPT N4 Kanji: 研 (KEN, と.ぐ) – Master the Art of Polishing and Research! 研 Readings: ケン (Onyomi), と.ぐ (Kunyomi) Meaning: polish, grind, research, study, sharpen, hone The character 研 is composed of 石 (stone) and 开 (open, remove). Its original meaning related to grinding or polishing something with a stone, which evolved to include

JLPT N4 Kanji: 転 (ten) – Mastering the Art of Turning and Changing! 転 Readings: テン (Onyomi), ころ.がる, ころ.げる, ころ.がす, ころ.ぶ, まろ.ぶ, うつ.る, うつ.す (Kunyomi) Meaning: Turn, revolve, change, move The kanji 転 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 車 (kuruma), meaning “vehicle” or “wheel,” which gives the semantic component related to turning or rolling.