What does 答 mean in Japanese?
答 means to answer or reply. Its kun’yomi verb 答える (kotaeru, to answer) and noun 答え (kotae, an answer) are everyday words, and it pairs naturally with 問 (ask) as the second half of question-and-answer.
The on’yomi トウ gives more formal compounds: 回答 (kaitou, a reply/response) and 解答 (kaitou, an answer/solution). The kanji has the bamboo radical 竹 on top over 合 (fit) — an answer that ‘fits’ the question.
Reading
On’yomi: トウ (tou)
Kun’yomi: こた-える (kota-eru), こた-え (kota-e)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 答 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | answer, reply, response |
| Stroke Count | 12 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
The kun’yomi 答える (kotaeru) is the everyday verb for answering a question or responding to someone: 質問に答える (answer a question). The noun 答え (kotae) is the answer itself. On the on’yomi side, 回答 (kaitou) is a reply or response, especially to a survey, request, or inquiry; 解答 (kaitou) — same sound — is specifically the correct answer or worked solution to a problem, as in a textbook answer key. 返答 (hentou) is a reply, often to something you were asked or told. 答案 (touan) is your written answers on a test paper.
Common Words
- 答え（こたえ / kotae） — an answer, a solution
- 答える（こたえる / kotaeru） — to answer, to respond
- 回答（かいとう / kaitou） — a reply, a response (e.g. to a survey)
- 解答（かいとう / kaitou） — an answer, a solution (to a problem)
- 返答（へんとう / hentou） — a reply, an answer
- 答案（とうあん / touan） — an exam answer (sheet)
Example Sentences
-
質問に答えてください。
しつもんにこたえてください。 / Shitsumon ni kotaete kudasai.
Please answer the question.
-
その答えは正しいです。
そのこたえはただしいです。 / Sono kotae wa tadashii desu.
That answer is correct.
-
兄はいつも先生の質問にすぐ答えます。
あにはいつもせんせいのしつもんにすぐこたえます。 / Ani wa itsumo sensei no shitsumon ni sugu kotaemasu.
My older brother always answers the teacher’s questions right away.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Two words read かいとう are easy to confuse: 回答 (a reply/response, e.g. to a survey or request) and 解答 (the answer/solution to a problem, e.g. a math answer key). The 回 (return) version is about replying; the 解 (solve/unravel) version is about a worked-out solution. Same reading, different kanji — let the first character tell you the meaning.
The kun’yomi pattern is straightforward: 答え (kotae) is the noun ‘answer’, and 答える (kotaeru) is the verb ‘to answer’. Note the okurigana: 答える keeps える. The thing you answer takes に: 質問に答える (answer a question), not を.
答 is the natural partner of 問 (ask): together they form the idea of question-and-answer (問答). Whenever you learn 問, pairing it with 答 helps both stick.
Summary
答 means to answer, with the everyday forms 答え (kotae) and 答える (kotaeru) and formal compounds 回答 and 解答. Watch the two かいとう words — 回答 (a reply) vs 解答 (a solution).