新 – Kanji Meaning, Reading, and Common Words

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What does 新 mean in Japanese?

新 means new in Japanese. You will see it everywhere: in 新しい (atarashii, new), one of the first adjectives learners study, and in everyday compounds such as 新聞 (shinbun, newspaper) and 新年 (shinnen, the new year).

新 has two main readings. Read it as あたらしい (atarashii) in the adjective 新しい, meaning ‘new,’ and as シン (shin) in compounds such as 新聞 and 新車 (shinsha, new car). Recognizing 新 at the start of a word is an easy way to spot that something is new, fresh, or just released.

Reading

On’yomi: シン (shin)

Kun’yomi: あたら-しい (atara-shii), あらた (arata), にい- (nii-)

Basic Information

Kanji 新
Meaning new, fresh
Stroke Count 13
JLPT Level N4

How to Understand This Kanji

新 marks newness in both concrete and abstract senses. As the adjective 新しい it describes new objects, places, and ideas. In compounds read as シン, it behaves like a prefix, as in 新車 (new car), 新人 (newcomer), and 新年 (new year). 新聞 (newspaper) literally combines ‘new’ and ‘hear,’ which helps explain why it refers to the news.

Common Words

  • 新しい（あたらしい / atarashii） — new
  • 新聞（しんぶん / shinbun） — newspaper
  • 新年（しんねん / shinnen） — new year
  • 新車（しんしゃ / shinsha） — new car
  • 新人（しんじん / shinjin） — newcomer, new employee
  • 最新（さいしん / saishin） — the latest, newest

Example Sentences

  • 新しいパソコンを買いました。

    あたらしいぱそこんをかいました。 / Atarashii pasokon o kaimashita.

    I bought a new computer.

  • 毎朝、新聞を読みます。

    まいあさ、しんぶんをよみます。 / Maiasa, shinbun o yomimasu.

    I read the newspaper every morning.

  • 来月、新しい家に引っ越します。

    らいげつ、あたらしいいえにひっこします。 / Raigetsu, atarashii ie ni hikkoshimasu.

    I will move to a new house next month.

Related Kanji

  • 古

    — 古 means old, the direct opposite of 新; the pair 新しい and 古い is one of the first adjective contrasts learners study.

  • 聞

    — 聞 means to hear or listen, and it combines with 新 in 新聞 (newspaper), literally ‘new’ plus ‘hear’; learning the pair makes 新聞 easy to remember.

  • 年

    — 年 means year, and 新年 (new year) is one of the most common 新 compounds, used every January in greetings and celebrations.

When Learners Usually See This Kanji

Start with 新しい (atarashii), one of the first i-adjectives in any textbook. Then notice 新 at the start of compounds: 新聞 (shinbun, newspaper), 新年 (shinnen, new year), 新車 (shinsha, new car), and 最新 (saishin, the latest). In station names and signs, 新 often marks a ‘new’ version of a place, as in 新大阪 (Shin-Osaka), so recognizing this kanji is immediately useful when traveling in Japan.

Summary

新 means new and appears in essential words such as 新しい, 新聞, and 新年, making it one of the most visible kanji in daily life in Japan.