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 “drawing.”
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 絵 (e) has 12 strokes. It starts with the “thread” radical on the left, followed by the right component which resembles “meet” or “assemble.” Pay attention to the balance and flow, especially in the strokes of the right part.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 糸 (いとへん – itohen) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 12 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | 2 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- カイ (kai)
- エ (e)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- え (e)
Common Words Using 絵
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 絵画 | かいが | painting, picture |
| 日本画 | にほんが | Japanese-style painting |
| 風景画 | ふうけいが | landscape painting |
| 版画 | はんが | woodblock print |
| 油絵 | あぶらえ | oil painting |
| 絵本 | えほん | picture book |
| 絵文字 | えもじ | emoji |
| 絵葉書 | えはがき | postcard |
| 絵柄 | えがら | design, pattern |
| 浮世絵 | うきよえ | ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 絵 | え | picture, drawing, painting |
| 絵の具 | えのぐ | paints, pigments |
| 絵筆 | えふで | paintbrush |
| 絵描き | えかき | painter, artist |
| 絵心 | えごころ | artistic sense |
| 絵空事 | えそらごと | fairytale, fantasy |
| 絵姿 | えすがた | portrait, depiction |
| 絵図 | えず | drawing, map |
| 絵馬 | えま | votive horse tablet (at shrines) |
| 絵合わせ | えあわせ | picture matching game |
Example Sentences
Japanese: この絵はとても美しい。
Kana: このえはとてもうつくしい。
Romaji: Kono e wa totemo utsukushii.
English: This painting is very beautiful.
Japanese: 子供が描いた絵を壁に飾った。
Kana: こどもがえがいたえをかべにかざった。
Romaji: Kodomo ga egaita e o kabe ni kazatta.
English: I decorated the wall with a picture my child drew.
Japanese: 寝る前に絵本を読んであげる。
Kana: ねるまえにえほんをよんであげる。
Romaji: Neru mae ni ehon o yonde ageru.
English: I will read a picture book before bed.
Japanese: 彼は風景画を描くのが得意だ。
Kana: かれはふうけいがをえがくのがとくいだ。
Romaji: Kare wa fūkeiga o egaku no ga tokui da.
English: He is good at drawing landscape paintings.
Japanese: その美術館には有名な絵画がたくさんある。
Kana: そのびじゅつかんにはゆうめいなかいががたくさんある。
Romaji: Sono bijutsukan ni wa yūmei na kaiga ga takusan aru.
English: There are many famous paintings in that art museum.
Japanese: 絵文字を使ってメッセージを送った。
Kana: えもじをつかってメッセージをおくった。
Romaji: Emoji o tsukatte messēji o okutta.
English: I sent a message using emojis.
Japanese: 彼女は油絵を習っている。
Kana: かのじょはあぶらえをならっている。
Romaji: Kanojo wa aburae o naratte iru.
English: She is learning oil painting.
Japanese: お土産に浮世絵のポストカードを買った。
Kana: おみやげにうきよえのポストカードをかった。
Romaji: Omiyage ni ukiyoe no posutokādo o katta.
English: I bought a ukiyo-e postcard as a souvenir.
Japanese: このアニメは絵柄がとても可愛い。
Kana: このアニメはえがらがとてもかわいい。
Romaji: Kono anime wa egara ga totemo kawaii.
English: The art style of this anime is very cute.
Japanese: 彼は絵描きになるのが夢だ。
Kana: かれはえかきになるのがゆめだ。
Romaji: Kare wa ekaki ni naru no ga yume da.
English: His dream is to become a painter.
Related Grammar & kanji list
Expand your study with grammar and kanji lists for other JLPT levels:
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.