Master advanced Japanese grammar with our comprehensive JLPT N4 Kanji guides. Includes detailed explanations, native-level examples, and practice exercises to help you succeed in the JLPT N4 exam.
JLPT N4 Kanji: 体 (tai / karada) – Master the Kanji for ‘Body’! 体 Readings: タイ (Onyomi), からだ (Kunyomi) Meaning: body, substance, object, form The kanji 体 (body) is formed from the radical 骨 (bone) and the component 本 (root/origin). It originally depicted a skeletal structure, emphasizing the fundamental framework of a body or an […]
JLPT N4 Kanji: 理 – Reason, Principle, Logic 理 Readings: リ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: reason, truth, logic, principle, manage, arrangement, justice, science The character 理 (li) originally depicted the process of “polishing jade” (玉) to bring out its inherent “pattern” or “reason” (里, which also signifies village/settlement and implies underlying order). This evolved to mean
JLPT N4 Kanji: 言 (GEN, GON, i.u, koto) – The Kanji for “Say” and “Word” 言 Readings: ゲン, ゴン (Onyomi), い.う, こと (Kunyomi) Meaning: say, speech, word The kanji 言 (gen) is a pictograph depicting a mouth with lines representing sound waves or the tongue, illustrating the act of speaking or articulating words. View JLPT
JLPT N4 Kanji: 目 – Master the Meaning of “Eye” and More! 目 Readings: モク, ボク (Onyomi), め, ま (Kunyomi) Meaning: Eye, section, order, item Pictograph of an eye. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 目 has 5 strokes. Start with the left vertical stroke, then the horizontal
JLPT N4 Kanji: Mastering 通 (tsuu, tōru, tōsu, kayou) 通 Readings: ツウ (Onyomi), とお.る, とお.す, かよ.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: pass; go through; commute; traffic; street Semantic-phonetic compound. The left part 辶 (しんにょう) means “motion” or “walk,” indicating movement. The right part 甬 (よう) is a phonetic component suggesting “passing through.” View JLPT N4 Kanji List How
JLPT N4 Kanji: 京 – Mastering The Capital! 京 Readings: キョウ, ケイ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: capital, Kyoto The kanji 京 is a pictogram depicting a high building with a roof, which came to represent a capital city or metropolis. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 京 is written
JLPT N4 Kanji: 動 (ugoku, dou) – Master the Kanji for “Move” 動 Readings: ドウ (Onyomi), うご(く), うご(かす) (Kunyomi) Meaning: move, motion, change, confusion, shift, shake The kanji 動 is composed of the radical 力 (chikara), meaning “power” or “strength”, and 重 (omoi), which originally depicted a heavy cart and meant “heavy” or “move”. Together,
JLPT N4 Kanji: 通 (tsuu, tooru, toosu, kayou) – To Pass Through 通 Readings: ツウ (Onyomi), とお.る, とお.す, かよ.う (Kunyomi) Meaning: To pass through, to go through, to commute, street, traffic, thoroughfare The kanji 通 is composed of 辶 (しんにょう), the “path” radical, and 甬 (よう), which signifies “passing through” or “penetration.” Together, it represents
JLPT N4 Kanji: 京 (きょう) – Capital & Metropolis 京 Readings: キョウ, ケイ (Onyomi), みやこ (Kunyomi) Meaning: capital, Kyoto, Tokyo Pictographic representation of a high building or tower, evolving to signify a capital or metropolis. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 京 has 8 strokes. It starts with
JLPT N4 Kanji: 動 (DOU, ugoku) – Master the Kanji for “Move”! 動 Readings: ドウ (Onyomi), うご.く, うご.かす (Kunyomi) Meaning: move; motion; change The kanji 動 is a combination of 重 (heavy) and 力 (power). It depicts a heavy object being moved by force, thus representing “to move” or “motion”. View JLPT N4 Kanji List
JLPT N4 Kanji: 明 (mei, myou, aka.rui) – Brighten Your Japanese! 明 Readings: メイ, ミョウ (Onyomi), あ.かり, あか.るい, あか.るむ, あか.らむ, あき.らか, あ.ける, あ.け, あ.くる, あ.かす (Kunyomi) Meaning: Bright, clear, dawn, to get light, to be bright, tomorrow The kanji 明 is a phono-semantic compound combining 日 (sun) and 月 (moon), visually representing “light” or “brightness”
JLPT N4 Kanji: 代 (dai, kawaru) – Substitute, Era, Generation 代 Readings: ダイ, タイ (Onyomi), か.わる, か.える, よ, しろ (Kunyomi) Meaning: substitute, change, generation, era, send, cost, charge The kanji 代 is composed of the radical 人 (にんべん – person) on the left and 戈 (ほこ – halberd/spear) on the right. The 戈 component often
JLPT N4 Kanji: 問 – Master the Art of Asking Questions 問 Readings: モン (Onyomi), と.う, と.い (Kunyomi) Meaning: question, ask, problem The character 問 combines 門 (gate, opening) and 口 (mouth). It depicts someone asking a question at a gate or entrance, symbolizing inquiry or asking. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write
JLPT N4 Kanji: 手 (Te/Shu) – Mastering the Kanji for “Hand” 手 Readings: シュ (Onyomi), て, た- (Kunyomi) Meaning: Hand The kanji 手 is a pictograph of a hand with fingers. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 手 is drawn with 4 strokes. It begins with a horizontal
JLPT N4 Kanji: 力 (Chikara) – Power, Strength, Force 力 Readings: リョク, リキ (Onyomi), ちから (Kunyomi) Meaning: Power, force, strength A pictograph of a bicep, or perhaps an arm wielding an agricultural tool like a plow, indicating strength, power, or force. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 力
JLPT N4 Kanji: 開 – Mastering “Open” and “Start” 開 Readings: カイ (Onyomi), ひら.く, ひら.ける, あ.く, あ.ける (Kunyomi) Meaning: open, start, begin, develop The character 開 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines 門 (もん), meaning “gate,” as the semantic component, and 幵 (けん), meaning “level” or “even,” which acts as the phonetic component and also
JLPT N4 Kanji: 立 (tatsu, tateru) – To Stand, Establish 立 Readings: リツ, リュウ (Onyomi), た.つ, た.てる (Kunyomi) Meaning: stand, erect, set up, establish A pictograph of a person standing firmly on the ground. View JLPT N4 Kanji List How to Write – Stroke Order The kanji 立 has 5 strokes. It begins with a
JLPT N4 Kanji: 員 (in) – Understanding Members and Staff 員 Readings: いん (Onyomi), (Kunyomi) Meaning: member, employee, staff The kanji 員 (いん) is composed of 冂 (kei-gamae, a frame or enclosure, simplified) and 貝 (kai, shell/money). Historically, 貝 represented valuable cowrie shells used as currency and often relates to wealth or people belonging to
JLPT N4 Kanji: 新 (Shin) – Mastering “New” 新 Readings: シン (Onyomi), あたら-しい, あら-た, にい (Kunyomi) Meaning: New, fresh The kanji 新 is composed of 立 (to stand), 木 (tree), and 斤 (axe). It originally depicted cutting down a tree to make something new, or a fresh, newly cut tree, symbolizing “newness” or “freshness”. View
JLPT N4 Kanji: 方 – Master Directions, Methods, and People! 方 Readings: ホウ (Onyomi), かた (Kunyomi) Meaning: direction, way, person, side This character is thought to be a pictogram of a plough or a boat, then extended to mean “direction” or “square.” Over time, its meaning diversified to include “way,” “method,” and a polite term
