金 金 means ‘gold,’ ‘metal,’ or ‘money.’ It also represents Friday (金曜日). The kanji is said to depict metal ore in the ground beneath a roof, suggesting the smelting of precious metal. Reading On’yomi: キン (kin), コン (kon) Kun’yomi: かね (kane), かな- (kana-) Basic Information Kanji 金 Meaning gold, money, metal Stroke Count 8 JLPT … Read more
玉 玉 means ‘jewel,’ ‘ball,’ or ‘bead.’ It looks very similar to 王 (king) but has an added dot representing a precious gem or a round object. Reading On’yomi: ギョク (gyoku) Kun’yomi: たま (tama) Basic Information Kanji 玉 Meaning ball, jewel, gem Stroke Count 5 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji 玉 can … Read more
本 本 means “book,” “origin,” or “root” in Japanese. It is based on 木 with a mark near the root, pointing to the idea of a base or origin. Reading On’yomi: ホン (hon) Kun’yomi: もと (moto) Basic Information Kanji 本 Meaning book, origin, root Stroke Count 5 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji … Read more
白 白 means “white” in Japanese. It is a basic color kanji and is also connected with brightness, clarity, and blankness. Reading On’yomi: ハク (haku), ビャク (byaku) Kun’yomi: しろ-い (shiro-i), しろ- (shiro-) Basic Information Kanji 白 Meaning white Stroke Count 5 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji 白 can mean white, blank, clear, … Read more
年 年 means “year” in Japanese. It is essential for dates, age, school years, and talking about time. Reading On’yomi: ネン (nen) Kun’yomi: とし (toshi) Basic Information Kanji 年 Meaning year Stroke Count 6 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji 年 appears in this year, last year, next year, every year, age, and … Read more
木 木 means “tree” or “wood” in Japanese. Its shape represents a tree with branches above and roots below. Reading On’yomi: モク (moku), ボク (boku) Kun’yomi: き (ki), こ- (ko-) Basic Information Kanji 木 Meaning tree, wood Stroke Count 4 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji 木 can refer to a living tree, … Read more
目 目 means “eye” in Japanese. Its shape is based on an eye turned vertically, making it a clear pictographic kanji. Reading On’yomi: モク (moku), ボク (boku) Kun’yomi: め (me), ま- (ma-) Basic Information Kanji 目 Meaning eye Stroke Count 5 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji 目 means eye, but it also … Read more
日 日 means “sun” and “day” in Japanese. Its shape comes from an ancient drawing of the sun, and it is one of the most frequent kanji in everyday Japanese. Reading On’yomi: ニチ (nichi), ジツ (jitsu) Kun’yomi: ひ (hi), -か (-ka) Basic Information Kanji 日 Meaning sun, day Stroke Count 4 JLPT Level N5 How … Read more
天 天 means “heaven,” “sky,” or “nature” in Japanese. Its shape can be understood as something above a person. Reading On’yomi: テン (ten) Kun’yomi: あめ (ame), あま- (ama-) Basic Information Kanji 天 Meaning heaven, sky Stroke Count 4 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji 天 appears in words about the sky, weather, heaven, … Read more
大 大 means “big,” “large,” or “great” in Japanese. Its shape represents a person standing with arms stretched wide. Reading On’yomi: ダイ (dai), タイ (tai) Kun’yomi: おお-きい (oo-kii), おお- (oo-) Basic Information Kanji 大 Meaning big, large, great Stroke Count 3 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji 大 describes physical size, importance, intensity, … Read more