kanji

Meaning

Year

Reading

Parts

厂Cliff 午Noon

Example Word

年配: elderly. The Japanese noun '年配 (ねんぱい)' refers to someone who is elderly or of advanced age. It is often used to describe a person who is older, typically in a respectful or polite manner. This term can also imply a sense of maturity or experience. For example: The elderly gentleman is kind「年配の男性は親切です」(ねんぱいのだんせいはしんせつです). She works with elderly people「彼女は年配の人と働いています」(かのじょはねんぱいのひととはたらいています). Note that this word is neutral in tone and does not carry negative connotations.

Radical

干

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

37

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Flat

Reading

Parts

干Dry 丷Divide

Example Word

平仮名: hiragana. The Japanese noun '平仮名 (ひらがな)' refers to the hiragana script, one of the three main writing systems used in Japanese. Hiragana is a phonetic script consisting of 46 basic characters, each representing a specific syllable. It is primarily used for native Japanese words, grammatical elements, and words without kanji. Example sentences: I am learning hiragana「私は平仮名を勉強しています」(わたしはひらがなをべんきょうしています). This word is written in hiragana「この言葉は平仮名で書かれています」(このことばはひらがなでかかれています).

Radical

干

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

111

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Happiness

Reading

Parts

土Soil 𢆉Sheep (羊)

Example Word

幸福: happiness. The Japanese adjectival noun '幸福 (こうふく)' means 'happiness'. It refers to a state of well-being, contentment, or joy. This word is often used in formal or literary contexts to describe a deep or lasting sense of happiness. For example: I wish you happiness「あなたに幸福を願います」(あなたにこうふくをねがいます). True happiness is hard to find「真の幸福を見つけるのは難しい」(しんのこうふくをみつけるのはむずかしい). Note that '幸福' is more profound and less casual than other words for happiness like '幸せ (しあわせ)', which is more commonly used in everyday conversation.

Radical

干

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

380

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Dry

Reading

Example Word

干す: dry. The Japanese verb '干す (ほす)' means 'to dry'. It is commonly used to describe the action of drying something, such as clothes, food, or other items. For example: I will dry the laundry「洗濯物を干します」(せんたくものをほします). She dried the fish in the sun「彼女は魚を干した」(かのじょはさかなをほした). This verb can also be used metaphorically to describe leaving someone out or neglecting them, as in '彼は会議で干された (かれはかいぎでほされた) (He was left out of the meeting).' The verb is versatile and can be used in various contexts related to drying or exposure to air.

Radical

干

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1121

Handwriting

kanji

Meaning

Trunk, Main

Reading

Parts

車Car 干Dry

Example Word

新幹線: bullet train. The Japanese noun '新幹線 (しんかんせん)' refers to the high-speed railway system in Japan, commonly known as the 'bullet train'. It is a network of trains that operate at very high speeds, connecting major cities across Japan. The term is often used to describe the trains themselves, as well as the system as a whole. For example: I took the bullet train to Osaka「新幹線で大阪に行きました」(しんかんせんでおおさかにいきました). The bullet train is very fast「新幹線はとても速いです」(しんかんせんはとてもはやいです). The 新幹線 is a symbol of Japan's technological advancement and efficiency in transportation.

Radical

干

Stroke Count

JLPT

Grade

Frequency

1480

Handwriting