What is the Kanji for "Be" and "Exist"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Be" and "Exist", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Be" and "Exist" is "在".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "A".

Its onyomi reading is "Zai".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "在" mean in japanese?

"在" means "Be" and "Exist".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fifth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

現在: "Now". The Japanese noun '現在 (げんざい)' means 'now'. It refers to the present time or current situation. '現在' can be used to describe something that is happening or taking place in the immediate moment. For example: I'm studying now - (私は今勉強しています). The current situation is difficult - (現在の状況は厳しい).

存在: "Existence". The verbal noun '存在 (そんざい)' means 'existence'. This word refers to the fact or state of being, or occurring, in a given space, time, or situation. It can be used to describe the presence or occurrence of something, whether physical, abstract, or metaphysical. For example: The existence of life on other planets is still unknown - (他の惑星上の生命の存在はまだわかっていない). His existence brings me happiness - (彼の存在が私を幸せにしてくれる).

在学: "Enroll". The verbal noun '在学 (ざいがく)' means 'to enroll'. This term refers to being enrolled or registered as a student at an educational institution such as a school, university or college. It indicates that one is currently attending and participating in the educational program of that institution. For example: I am currently enrolled in university - (私は現在大学に在学しています). The student is enrolled in high school - (その生徒は高校に在学しています).

所在: "Location". The noun '所在 (しょざい)' means 'location'. It refers to the place where something or someone is situated or located. This word is often used in formal contexts, such as when discussing the whereabouts or position of a person or object. For example: The location of the meeting is still unknown - (会議の所在はまだ不明だ). The company's location is in Tokyo - (その会社の所在地は東京にある).

実在: "Existence". The noun '実在 (じつざい)' means 'existence'. It refers to the state of actually existing or being real, as opposed to being imaginary or hypothetical. This word is often used in philosophical and scientific contexts to discuss the nature of reality and the distinction between what is real and what is not. For example: The existence of extraterrestrial life is still a matter of debate - (宇宙生命の実在は議論の的である). The mathematical concepts have no physical existence - (数学的概念には実在性がない).

在庫: "Inventory" or "Stock". The Japanese noun '在庫 (ざいこ)' refers to the supply of goods or materials that a business or organization has on hand. It can mean 'inventory' or 'stock'. This term is commonly used in the context of business and supply chain management to describe the quantity of a product or material that is currently available. For example: We need to check our inventory levels - (私たちは在庫レベルをチェックする必要がある). The store has a large stock of winter coats - (その店には冬物コートの在庫が多い).

潜在: "Latent". The noun '潜在 (せんざい)' means 'latent'. It refers to something that exists in a dormant or hidden state, waiting to be activated or realized. This can apply to skills, abilities, or qualities that a person or thing possesses but are not currently being expressed or utilized. For example: He has a latent talent for music - (彼には音楽の潜在的な才能がある). The company has latent potential for growth - (その企業には成長の潜在的な可能性がある).

在住: "Residence". The Japanese noun '在住 (ざいじゅう)' means 'residence'. It refers to the place where someone lives or resides, especially in the context of a foreign country. For example: I'm a resident of Japan - (私は日本に在住している). He is a resident of Tokyo - (彼は東京に在住している).

在日: "Resident". The Japanese noun '在日 (ざいにち)' means 'resident'. It is used to refer to foreign nationals, especially ethnic Koreans and Chinese, who are permanent or long-term residents in Japan. The term can have political and social connotations, and is sometimes used to describe the experiences and challenges faced by these resident communities. For example: The in-Japan residents held a protest - (在日が抗議をおこなった).

在宅: "Home". The noun '在宅 (ざいたく)' means 'home'. This term refers to being at one's own home or residence. It can be used to describe a situation where a person is staying or working from their home, rather than going to an office or other location. For example: I am working from home today - (私は今日在宅で仕事をしています). Working at home - (在宅で仕事をする)

滞在: "Stay". The Japanese verbal noun '滞在 (たいざい)' means 'stay'. It is used to refer to the act of remaining or residing in a particular place for a period of time. This can include staying overnight, visiting for a few days, or living in a location for an extended period. For example: My family is staying at a hotel - (私の家族はホテルに滞在しています). She stayed in Tokyo for a week - (彼女は1週間東京に滞在しました).

不在: "Absence". The noun '不在 (ふざい)' means 'absence'. This term is used to describe a situation where someone or something is not present or available. It can refer to the state of being away or missing from a location or event. For example: He is out on business during his absence - (彼は不在中に仕事に出かけている). The manager's absence caused problems at the office - (マネージャーの不在によりオフィスで問題が発生した).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "あ" is read as "a". The hiragana "ざ" is read as "za". And The hiragana "い" is read as "i".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.