Jōyō KanjiOrganized by Radical

kanji

Meaning

Before, Previous

Reading

Parts

儿Legs 土Soil 丿Katakana no

Example Word

先祖: ancestor. The Japanese noun '先祖 (せんぞ)' refers to one's ancestors or forebears. It is commonly used to describe family lineage or those who came before in a family's history. This word carries a sense of respect and is often used in contexts related to family traditions, genealogy, or cultural practices honoring ancestors. For example: I respect my ancestors「私は先祖を尊敬する」(わたしはせんぞをそんけいする). Our ancestors lived here「私たちの先祖はここに住んでいた」(わたしたちのせんぞはここにすんでいた). The term is also used in phrases like '先祖代々 (せんぞだいだい)', meaning 'for generations'.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

66

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Light

Reading

Parts

⺌Small (小)一One 儿Legs

Example Word

日光: sunlight. The Japanese noun '日光 (にっこう)' primarily means 'sunlight'. It refers to the light that comes from the sun, often emphasizing its brightness or warmth. This word is commonly used in contexts related to nature, weather, or describing the atmosphere created by sunlight. For example: The sunlight is warm「日光が暖かい」(にっこうがあたたかい). The room is filled with sunlight「部屋に日光が差し込んでいる」(へやににっこうがさしこんでいる). Additionally, '日光' can also refer to the famous city 'Nikko' in Japan, known for its historical temples and natural beauty, but this usage is context-dependent and less common in everyday conversation.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

170

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Origin

Reading

Parts

二Two 儿Legs

Example Word

次元: dimension. The Japanese noun '次元 (じげん)' means 'dimension'. It refers to a measurable extent of some kind, such as length, width, height, or time. It can also be used metaphorically to describe levels or aspects of something, such as in discussions about theoretical physics or abstract concepts. For example: this problem exists in a different dimension「この問題は別の次元にある」(このもんだいはべつのじげんにある). The fourth dimension is time「第四の次元は時間だ」(だいよんのじげんはじかんだ). The word is often used in scientific, philosophical, or metaphorical contexts.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

304

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Older brother

Reading

Parts

儿Legs 口Mouth

Example Word

兄弟: siblings. The Japanese noun '兄弟 (きょうだい)' refers to siblings, including both brothers and sisters. It is a gender-neutral term that can be used to describe a group of siblings or to refer to one's own brothers and sisters collectively. For example: I have three siblings「私には兄弟が三人います」(わたしにはきょうだいがさんにんいます). My siblings are kind「私の兄弟は優しいです」(わたしのきょうだいはやさしいです). Note that '兄弟' can also be used in a broader sense to refer to close friends or comrades, implying a bond similar to that of siblings, though this usage is less common and context-dependent.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

360

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Child

Reading

Parts

儿Legs 旧Old, Past

Example Word

児: child. The Japanese suffix '児 (じ)' means 'child' and is often used in compound words to refer to children or young individuals. It can be used in various contexts, such as in the names of institutions or titles. For example: kindergarten child「幼稚園児」(ようちえんじ). This suffix is commonly found in words related to education or care for children. It's important to note that '児' is typically used in formal or institutional contexts rather than in everyday conversation.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

750

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Fill, Allocate

Reading

Example Word

充実: fulfillment. The Japanese noun '充実 (じゅうじつ)' means 'fulfillment' or 'enrichment'. It refers to a state of being filled with substance, satisfaction, or completeness. This word is often used to describe a sense of satisfaction or richness in life, work, or experiences. For example: My life is full of fulfillment「私の人生は充実している」(わたしのじんせいはじゅうじつしている). The program was enriching「そのプログラムは充実していた」(そのプログラムはじゅうじつしていた). It can also describe something being well-equipped or substantial, such as a schedule or a meal.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

938

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Party, Faction

Reading

Parts

龸 兄Older brother

Example Word

政党: political party. The Japanese noun '政党 (せいとう)' refers to a 'political party'. This term is used to describe an organized group of people who share similar political goals and work together to influence government policies and gain political power. For example: The new political party was established「新しい政党が設立された」(あたらしいせいとうがせつりつされた). He joined a major political party「彼は主要な政党に加入した」(かれはしゅようなせいとうかにゅうした). The term is commonly used in discussions about politics, elections, and governance.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1010

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Excuse, Exempt

Reading

Parts

⺈Wrap 儿Legs

Example Word

免税: tax free. The Japanese verbal noun '免税 (めんぜい)' refers to the exemption from taxes, particularly in the context of shopping or transactions. It is commonly used in situations where goods are sold without the addition of tax, often to tourists or in duty-free shops. For example: This shop offers tax-free shopping「この店は免税です」(このみせはめんぜいです). I bought this bag tax-free「このバッグは免税で買いました」(このバッグはめんぜいでかいました). The term is also used in official contexts to describe tax exemptions on certain goods or services.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1120

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Overcome

Reading

Parts

儿Legs 古Old

Example Word

克服: overcoming. The Japanese noun '克服 (こくふく)' means 'overcoming'. It refers to the act of conquering or successfully dealing with a difficulty, challenge, or obstacle. This word is often used in contexts related to personal struggles, such as overcoming fear, illness, or adversity. For example: overcoming fear「恐怖を克服する」(きょうふをこくふくする). She overcame her illness「彼女は病気を克服した」(かのじょはびょうきをこくふくした). The word carries a sense of triumph and achievement, emphasizing the effort and perseverance required to surmount a challenge.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1795

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Omen, Trillion

Reading

Example Word

兆: trillion or sign. The Japanese noun '兆 (ちょう)' has two distinct meanings. The first meaning is 'sign', referring to an indication or omen of something that might happen in the future. For example: there are signs of rain「雨の兆がある」(あめのちょうがある). The second meaning is 'trillion', used in the context of numbers. For example: the national debt is over 100 trillion yen「国の借金は100兆円を超えている」(くにのしゃっきんはひゃくちょうえんをこえている). It's important to note that '兆' as 'trillion' is used in the Japanese numbering system, which differs from the Western system where 'trillion' represents a different numerical value.

Radical

儿

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1907

Handwriting