What does 寒 mean in Japanese?
寒 means “cold” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 寒い (cold), 寒気 (chill), and 寒天 (agar).
For learners, the key is to study 寒 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: カン (kan)
Kun’yomi: さむ-い (samu-i)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 寒 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
寒 is not limited to one English translation. In 寒い (さむい), it means cold; in 寒気 (さむけ), it points to chill; and in 寒天 (かんてん), it is used for agar. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 寒い（さむい / samui） — cold
- 寒気（さむけ / samuke） — chill
- 寒天（かんてん / kanten） — agar
- 寒波（かんぱ / kanpa） — cold wave
- 寒空（さむぞら / samuzora） — cold sky
- 寒冷（かんれい / kanrei） — cold climate
Example Sentences
-
今日はとても寒いです。
きょうはとてもさむいです。 / Kyō wa totemo samui desu.
It is very cold today.
-
寒気がして早く帰りました。
さむけがしてはやくかえりました。 / Samuke ga shite hayaku kaerimashita.
I felt chills and went home early.
-
寒波で雪が降りました。
かんぱでゆきがふりました。 / Kanpa de yuki ga furimashita.
It snowed because of a cold wave.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 寒い (さむい / samui) because it keeps the core meaning of 寒 clear. Then add 寒気 and 寒天 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 寒 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
寒 means “cold” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 寒い, 寒気, and 寒天.