Readings: カン (Onyomi), さむ-い (Kunyomi)
Meaning: cold
寒 is a pictogram representing a house (宀) with icicles (冫) and grass (艹) on top, illustrating the concept of severe cold.
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 寒 is written in 12 strokes. Start with the top roof radical (宀), then the left and right components, and finally the bottom elements. A common stroke order visualization will show you the exact sequence.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 宀 (うかんむり) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 12 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | 3 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- カン (Kan)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- さむい (samui)
Common Words Using 寒
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寒冷 | かんれい | coldness, chill |
| 厳寒 | げんかん | severe winter, intense cold |
| 耐寒 | たいかん | cold resistance |
| 酷寒 | こっかん | bitter cold |
| 防寒 | ぼうかん | protection against cold |
| 寒気 | かんき | chill, cold, shivers |
| 寒波 | かんぱ | cold wave |
| 寒中 | かんちゅう | midwinter |
| 寒暖 | かんだん | cold and heat, temperature |
| 余寒 | よかん | lingering cold (in spring) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寒い | さむい | cold (adjective) |
| 寒がる | さむがる | to feel cold |
| 肌寒い | はださむい | chilly |
| 底冷え | そこびえ | bone-chilling cold |
| 小寒い | こさむい | a bit chilly |
| 極寒い | ごくさむい | extremely cold |
| 寒の入り | かんのいり | beginning of the coldest season |
| 寒の戻り | かんのもどり | return of cold weather (after a warm spell) |
| 寒明け | かんあけ | end of the coldest season |
| 身寒い | みさむい | feeling cold (in one’s body) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 今日はとても寒いですね。
Kana: きょうはとてもさむいですね。
Romaji: Kyō wa totemo samui desu ne.
English: It’s very cold today, isn’t it?
Japanese: 彼は寒さに弱い。
Kana: かれはさむさによわい。
Romaji: Kare wa samusa ni yowai.
English: He is sensitive to the cold.
Japanese: 寒い日には温かいものが食べたい。
Kana: さむいひにはあたたかいものがたべたい。
Romaji: Samui hi ni wa atatakai mono ga tabetai.
English: I want to eat something warm on a cold day.
Japanese: 寒気がしました。
Kana: かんきがしました。
Romaji: Kanki ga shimashita.
English: I felt a chill.
Japanese: 厳しい冬の寒さに耐える。
Kana: きびしいふゆのさむさにはえる。
Romaji: Kibishii fuyu no samusa ni taeru.
English: To endure the severe cold of winter.
Japanese: この部屋は寒暖の差が激しい。
Kana: このへやはかんだんのさがはげしい。
Romaji: Kono heya wa kandan no sa ga hageshii.
English: The temperature difference in this room is extreme.
Japanese: 寒波が来ているので、暖かい服を着てください。
Kana: かんぱがきているので、あたたかいふくをきてください。
Romaji: Kanpa ga kite iru node, atatakai fuku o kite kudasai.
English: A cold wave is coming, so please wear warm clothes.
Japanese: 寒中見舞いを送る。
Kana: かんちゅうみまいをおくる。
Romaji: Kanchuu mimai o okuru.
English: To send a midwinter greeting card.
Japanese: 夜は肌寒くなるでしょう。
Kana: よるははださむくなるでしょう。
Romaji: Yoru wa hadasamuku naru deshou.
English: It will probably get chilly at night.
Japanese: 寒いので、窓を閉めてください。
Kana: さむいので、まどをしめてください。
Romaji: Samui node, mado o shimete kudasai.
English: It’s cold, so please close the window.
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.