What does 売 mean in Japanese? 売 means to sell in Japanese. It appears in 売る (uru, to sell) and in practical words you see while shopping, such as 売り場 (uriba, sales floor) and 売り切れ (urikire, sold out). 売 has two main readings. Read it as うる (uru) in the verb 売る, meaning ‘to sell,’ … Read more
What does 買 mean in Japanese? 買 means to buy in Japanese. It is the kanji behind 買う (kau, to buy) and 買い物 (kaimono, shopping), two words you will use from your very first trip to a Japanese store. 買 has two main readings. Read it as かう (kau) in the verb 買う, meaning ‘to … Read more
What does 読 mean in Japanese? 読 means to read in Japanese. It is the kanji behind 読む (yomu, to read), one of the most essential verbs for learners, and it appears in words about reading books, reading aloud, and how words are read. 読 has two main readings. Read it as よむ (yomu) in … Read more
What does 古 mean in Japanese? 古 means old in Japanese. It describes things that have aged, such as an old book, an old watch, or an old building, and it is the natural opposite of 新 (new). Note that 古 is used for things, not for people’s age. 古 has two main readings. Read … Read more
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 … Read more
体 体 means body, referring to the physical form of a person or living thing. It is used in words about physical health, fitness, and the structure of the human body. Reading On’yomi: タイ (tai), テイ (tei) Kun’yomi: からだ (karada) Basic Information Kanji 体 Meaning body, physical Stroke Count 7 JLPT Level N4 How to … Read more
時 時 means time, an hour, or a specific moment. It is used in many essential words for telling time, describing periods, and expressing when something happens. Reading On’yomi: ジ (ji) Kun’yomi: とき (toki) Basic Information Kanji 時 Meaning time, hour, when Stroke Count 10 JLPT Level N4 How to Understand This Kanji 時 refers … Read more
食 食 means to eat, food, or a meal. It appears in many everyday words related to eating, dining, and food culture. Reading On’yomi: ショク (shoku), ジキ (jiki) Kun’yomi: た-べる (ta-beru), く-う (ku-u) Basic Information Kanji 食 Meaning eat, food, meal Stroke Count 9 JLPT Level N4 How to Understand This Kanji 食 focuses on … Read more
話 話 means to speak, to talk, or a story or conversation. It is used both as a verb meaning to speak and as a noun referring to a talk, story, or topic. Reading On’yomi: ワ (wa) Kun’yomi: はな-す (hana-su), はなし (hanashi) Basic Information Kanji 話 Meaning talk, speak, story, conversation Stroke Count 13 JLPT … Read more
書 書 means to write, writing, or a document. It covers the physical act of writing as well as the result, such as a book, document, or piece of calligraphy. Reading On’yomi: ショ (sho) Kun’yomi: か-く (ka-ku) Basic Information Kanji 書 Meaning write, writing, document Stroke Count 10 JLPT Level N4 How to Understand This … Read more