Jōyō KanjiOrganized by Radical

kanji

Meaning

Doctor

Reading

Parts

矢Arrow 匸Side enclosure

Example Word

お医者さん: doctor. The Japanese noun 'お医者さん (おいしゃさん)' means 'doctor'. It is a polite and respectful term used to refer to a medical doctor or physician. The prefix 'お' adds politeness, and 'さん' is an honorific suffix, making the term more formal and respectful. This term is commonly used in everyday conversation when referring to doctors. For example: I went to the doctor「お医者さんに行きました」(おいしゃさんにいきました). The doctor is kind「お医者さんは優しいです」(おいしゃさんはやさしいです). It is important to note that 'お医者さん' is more commonly used in spoken language, while '医者 (いしゃ)' is a more neutral term that can be used in both spoken and written contexts.

Radical

匸

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

601

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

District

Reading

Parts

匸Side enclosure 乂Govern

Example Word

区別: distinction. The Japanese verbal noun '区別 (くべつ)' means 'distinction' or 'differentiation'. It refers to the act of distinguishing or differentiating between two or more things, ideas, or categories. This word is often used in contexts where clarity or separation is needed, such as in discussions about differences between concepts, objects, or groups. For example: It's important to make a distinction between right and wrong「正しいことと間違っていることの区別が重要です」(ただしいこととまちがっていることのくべつがじゅうようです). Can you distinguish between these two colors?「この二つの色の区別ができますか？」(このふたつのいろのくべつができますか？). The word can also be used in formal or academic contexts to describe clear categorization or separation.

Radical

匸

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1042

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Equal, Counter for animals

Reading

Parts

匚 儿Legs

Example Word

匹: counter. The Japanese suffix '匹 (ひき)' is a counter used for small animals, such as cats, dogs, fish, and insects. It is one of the most common counters in Japanese and is essential for counting animals. The reading 'ひき' changes depending on the number it follows due to rendaku (voicing) and phonetic rules. For example: one cat「猫一匹」(ねこいっぴき), two dogs「犬二匹」(いぬにひき), three fish「魚三匹」(さかなさんびき). Note that the counter does not change based on the size of the animal, but rather the category (small animals). This suffix is widely used in everyday conversation and is a fundamental part of Japanese counting systems.

Radical

匸

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1326

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Hide, Conceal

Reading

Parts

匸Side enclosure 若Young

Radical

匸

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1969

Handwriting