What does 晴 mean in Japanese?
晴 means clear, sunny weather, the opposite of a rainy or cloudy sky.
Its kun’yomi は-れる (hareru) is the verb ‘to clear up’ and は-れ (hare) the noun ‘fine weather’; the on’yomi セイ appears in 晴天 (せいてん, clear sky) and 快晴 (かいせい, perfectly clear).
Reading
On’yomi: セイ (sei)
Kun’yomi: は-れる (ha-reru), は-れ (ha-re)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 晴 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | clear (weather) |
| Stroke Count | 12 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
晴 is an everyday weather word, seen daily in forecasts (今日は晴れ). The 日 (sun) radical on the left makes the meaning easy to remember: a clear sky with sun. 晴れ also carries a positive, cheerful feeling and appears figuratively in 晴れ舞台 (a proud public occasion), though the plain weather sense is the one an N4 learner needs first.
Common Words
- 晴れ（はれ / hare） — clear weather, sunny
- 晴れる（はれる / hareru） — to clear up (weather)
- 快晴（かいせい / kaisei） — perfectly clear sky
- 晴天（せいてん / seiten） — fine weather, clear sky
- 秋晴れ（あきばれ / akibare） — clear autumn weather
- 晴れ間（はれま / harema） — a break in the clouds, sunny interval
Example Sentences
-
今日はよく晴れています。
きょうはよくはれています。 / Kyou wa yoku harete imasu.
It is nicely clear today.
-
明日は晴れるでしょう。
あしたははれるでしょう。 / Ashita wa hareru deshou.
It will probably clear up tomorrow.
-
晴れた日に公園を散歩しました。
はれたひにこうえんをさんぽしました。 / Hareta hi ni kouen o sanpo shimashita.
I took a walk in the park on a clear day.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Learn the pair は-れ (noun) and は-れる (verb): 今日は晴れです (it is fine today) versus 空が晴れる (the sky clears). The on’yomi セイ shows up in written weather words like 晴天 and 快晴. Contrast 晴 with its weather partners 雨 (rain) and 雪 (snow). Do not confuse 晴 (日 + 青) with 清 (氵 + 青, clean) or 静 (quiet); the left radical fixes the meaning.
Summary
晴 means clear weather: 晴れ / 晴れる in daily use, セイ in 晴天 and 快晴.