貝 貝 means ‘shellfish’ or ‘shell.’ Historically, shells were used as currency in ancient China and Japan, which is why 貝 appears as a radical in many kanji related to money, value, and trade. Reading On’yomi: — Kun’yomi: かい (kai) Basic Information Kanji 貝 Meaning shell, shellfish Stroke Count 7 JLPT Level N5 How to … Read more
気 is a common Japanese kanji meaning spirit, energy, mood, air, or feeling. Learn its readings, common words such as 元気 and 天気, and example sentences.
犬 犬 means ‘dog.’ It is often taught as a pictograph of a dog, and learners can remember it by comparing it with 大 (large/big), which looks similar but has no dot. Reading On’yomi: ケン (ken) Kun’yomi: いぬ (inu) Basic Information Kanji 犬 Meaning dog Stroke Count 4 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This … Read more
学 学 means ‘study,’ ‘learning,’ or ‘school.’ It depicts a child (子) under a roof with learning materials above, suggesting a child learning under the guidance of a teacher. Reading On’yomi: ガク (gaku) Kun’yomi: まな-ぶ (mana-bu) Basic Information Kanji 学 Meaning study, learning, science Stroke Count 8 JLPT Level N5 How to Understand This Kanji … Read more
空 is the Japanese kanji for sky and empty space. Learn its readings, meaning, and common words such as 空気 and 空港.
月 means moon and month in Japanese. Learn how to read 月 as tsuki, getsu, and gatsu, with common words and examples.
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