N4 Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji: 始 (Hajimeru) – To Begin! 始 Readings: シ (Onyomi), はじめる, はじまる, はじめ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Begin, start The kanji 始 is composed of 女 (woman) and 台 (platform/stand, or a stylized representation). The combination historically suggests the beginning, possibly related to a woman’s role in initiating a family or rituals, or 台 representing […]

JLPT N4 Kanji: 特 (toku) – Mastering the Kanji for “Special” 特 Readings: トク (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: special, particular, especially The kanji 特 combines the radical 牛 (gyuu: cow, ox) with the phonetic component 寺 (tera: temple). Historically, a special ox was often sacrificed at temples for rituals, giving rise to the meaning ‘special’ or

JLPT N4 Kanji: 死 (Shi/Shinu) – Mastering the Kanji for “Death” 死 Readings: シ (Onyomi), し.ぬ (Kunyomi) Meaning: Death, to die The kanji 死 is a pictograph depicting a person lying down (representing a corpse) next to a skeleton, symbolizing death. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 死

JLPT N4 Kanji: 計 (Kei) – Master “Measure, Plan, Total” 計 Readings: ケイ (Onyomi), はか-る, はか-らう (Kunyomi) Meaning: measure, plan, total, scheme The kanji 計 combines 言 (word/speak) and 斗 (a measuring ladle/cup). The 言 component here serves both as a semantic hint (related to counting or stating quantities) and a phonetic element. The 斗

JLPT N4 Kanji: 品 (shina, hin) – Goods, Quality, Dignity 品 Readings: ヒン (Onyomi), しな (Kunyomi) Meaning: goods, article, quality, dignity, item The character 品 (pǐn) in Chinese originally depicted three “mouths” (口) stacked, signifying a multitude or collection of things. Over time, it came to represent “goods,” “articles,” “varieties,” or “kinds.” In Japanese, it

JLPT N4 Kanji: Mastering 「使」 (Tsuka/Shi) – To Use, To Send 使 Readings: シ (Onyomi), つか-う, つか-い (Kunyomi) Meaning: to use, to send, to make (someone do) The kanji consists of the radical for “person” (人) and a component that represents “official” or “messenger.” Together, it conveys the idea of sending a person on a

JLPT N4 Kanji: 物 (mono, butsu) – Thing, Object 物 Readings: ぶつ, もつ (Onyomi), もの (Kunyomi) Meaning: thing, object, matter The kanji 物 combines 牛 (cow, ox) and 勿 (a phonetic component that originally meant “do not” but here signifies sound). Originally, it depicted a speckled ox, a valuable commodity. Over time, its meaning generalized

JLPT N4 Kanji: 別 (betsu, wakareru) – Separate, Another, Different 別 Readings: ベツ (Onyomi), わか.れる, わ.ける, わ.かれる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Separate, another, different, particularly The kanji “別” combines “刀” (sword/knife) and “冎” (bone/skeleton, which implies separation or division), depicting the act of cutting apart or separating. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke

JLPT N4 Kanji: 集 (shū) – Master “Gather” and “Collect” 集 Readings: シュウ (Onyomi), あつ.める, あつ.まる, つど.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: Gather, Collect, Assemble The kanji 集 (shū) is a phono-semantic compound. It is composed of 隹 (sui), meaning “bird,” and 木 (moku), meaning “tree.” The original meaning was “birds gathering on a tree,” which evolved to

JLPT N4 Kanji: 道 (michi, Dou) – The Way to Understanding 道 Readings: ドウ (Onyomi), みち (Kunyomi) Meaning: road, street, path, way, route, course, moral, teachings The radical ⻌ (shinnyou), meaning “to go” or “walk,” combined with 首 (shuu), meaning “head” or “leader.” Together, it symbolizes a “path” or “way” to follow, often with a

JLPT N4 Kanji: 知 (Know, Wisdom) – Master its Meanings & Readings 知 Readings: チ (Onyomi), し.る, し.らせる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Know, wisdom, intelligence The kanji 知 combines 矢 (ya) meaning “arrow” and 口 (kuchi) meaning “mouth”. The “arrow” radical suggests something direct and straightforward, while “mouth” implies speaking or telling. Together, it conveys the idea

JLPT N4 Kanji: 売 (Uru) – To Sell 売 Readings: バイ (Onyomi), うる, うれる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Sell The kanji 売 is formed from 士 (shì, “scholar” or “samurai”) and a component representing a basket or container with goods, suggesting items being offered for sale. It depicts goods being put out for sale or trade. View

JLPT N4 Kanji: 海 (Umi/Kai) – Master the Sea! 海 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), うみ (Kunyomi) Meaning: sea, ocean The character 海 (umi) combines the radical 氵 (water) with 毎 (mai), which depicts a mother or a person. Together, they form the meaning of ‘sea’ or ‘ocean’, conveying the vast body of water. View JLPT N4

JLPT N4 Kanji: 画 (e, ga, KAKU, GA) – Picture, Stroke, Plan 画 Readings: カク, ガ (Onyomi), え, えがく (Kunyomi) Meaning: brush-stroke; picture; to delineate; to delimit The kanji 画 originally depicted a brush drawing lines on a field or boundary. It combines 聿 (fude, writing brush) and 凵 (ukebako, a container or enclosure/boundary). View

JLPT N4 Kanji: 考 (Kangaeru/Kō) – Think & Consider 考 Readings: コウ (Onyomi), かんがえる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Think, consider, reflect The kanji 考 is composed of the radical 老 (rō) meaning “old man” and the component 丂 (kō) which implies “leaning forward” or “crooked.” Together, it suggests an old man leaning forward, engrossed in thought or

JLPT N4 Kanji: 近 (Kin / Chika-i) – Mastering “Near/Close” 近 Readings: キン (Onyomi), ちか-い, ちか-づく, ちか-める (Kunyomi) Meaning: Near, close The kanji 近 combines 辶 (movement) and 斤 (axe, a phonetic component that can also imply cutting short or being close). Together, they suggest “approaching” or “getting close to something by movement, reducing distance.”

JLPT N4 Kanji: 重 (JUU, CHOU, omoi) – Unpacking its Meanings and Uses 重 Readings: ジュウ, チョウ (Onyomi), おも.い, かさ.ねる, かさ.なる (Kunyomi) Meaning: heavy, stack, pile up, repeat This kanji is a pictograph depicting a person carrying a heavy load, symbolizing the concept of “heavy” or “layered/stacked.” View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write

JLPT N4 Kanji: 元 (moto, gen, gan) – Origin, Former, Original 元 Readings: ゲン, ガン (Onyomi), もと (Kunyomi) Meaning: Origin, former, original, source, base, spirit The kanji 元 originally depicted a person with emphasis on the head, symbolizing “head,” “beginning,” or “origin.” View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji: Mastering 教 (kyō) – Teach, Religion, Doctrine 教 Readings: キョウ (Onyomi), おし.える, おそ.わる (Kunyomi) Meaning: Teach, religion, doctrine The kanji 教 (kyō) is an ideogrammic compound (会意文字 – kaii moji). It combines 孝 (kō, filial piety), which depicts a child learning or being taught, and 攴 (bokuzukuri/tsukue), an old form of 攵,

JLPT N4 Kanji: 界 (kai) – World, Boundary 界 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), – (Kunyomi) Meaning: world, boundary The kanji 界 is a phonetic-semantic compound. It combines 田 (tián), representing a field or cultivated land, and 介 (jiè), which originally meant “to lie between” or “to separate,” also serving as a phonetic component. Together, it conveys