Jōyō KanjiOrganized by Onyomi reading

kanji

Meaning

Man

Reading

Parts

田Rice field 力Power

Example Word

男子: boy. The Japanese noun '男子 (だんし)' refers to a male child or young man, typically used in contexts such as schools, sports, or formal settings. It emphasizes the male gender and is often used in contrast to '女子 (じょし)', which means 'girl'. For example: The boys are playing soccer「男子がサッカーをしている」(だんしがサッカーをしている). This school is for boys only「この学校は男子だけです」(このがっこうはだんしだけです). The term can also appear in compound words like '男子校 (だんしこう)', meaning 'boys' school'.

Radical

田

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

86

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Difficult

Reading

Example Word

難しい: difficult. The Japanese adjective '難しい (むずかしい)' means 'difficult'. It is used to describe something that is hard to understand, accomplish, or deal with. This word can be applied to tasks, problems, concepts, or situations. For example: This problem is difficult「この問題は難しい」(このもんだいはむずかしい). Learning Japanese is difficult「日本語を学ぶのは難しい」(にほんごをまなぶのはむずかしい). The word can also imply complexity or a high level of challenge. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts.

Radical

隹

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

337

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

South

Reading

Parts

十Ten 冂Enclosure 羊Sheep

Example Word

南極: Antarctica. The Japanese noun '南極 (なんきょく)' refers to 'Antarctica', the southernmost continent on Earth. It is often used in geographical or scientific contexts. For example: Antarctica is very cold「南極はとても寒い」(なんきょくはとてもさむい). Penguins live in Antarctica「ペンギンは南極に住んでいる」(ペンギンはなんきょくにすんでいる). The word can also be used metaphorically to describe something extremely cold or remote, though this usage is less common.

Radical

十

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

493

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Settlement

Reading

Parts

糸Thread 內

Example Word

納豆: natto. The Japanese noun '納豆 (なっとう)' refers to 'natto', a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. It is known for its strong smell, sticky texture, and unique flavor. Natto is often eaten for breakfast and is considered a healthy food due to its high protein and probiotic content. It is typically served with rice, mustard, and soy sauce. Example sentences: I eat natto every morning「毎朝納豆を食べます」(まいあさなっとうをたべます). Natto is good for your health「納豆は健康に良いです」(なっとうはけんこうにいいです).

Radical

糸

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

904

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Soft

Reading

Parts

車Car 欠Lack

Example Word

軟らかい: soft. The Japanese adjective '軟らかい (やわらかい)' means 'soft'. It is used to describe something that is physically soft to the touch, such as a pillow, fabric, or food. It can also describe something that is gentle or flexible in nature, such as a person's attitude or a material's texture. For example: This bread is soft「このパンは軟らかい」(このパンはやわらかい). His response was soft「彼の返事は軟らかかった」(かれのへんじはやわらかかった). Note that this word is often used in contrast to '硬い (かたい)' (hard).

Radical

車

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1897

Handwriting