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What is the Kanji for 'Bitter' and 'Acid'? | 酸

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for 'Bitter' and 'Acid', you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for 'Bitter' and 'Acid' is 酸.

    kanji

    Meaning

    Bitter, Acid

    Reading

    kunyomi

    su

    onyomiさん

    san

    Parts

    Bird of the zodiac

    Example Word

    酸化: oxidation. The Japanese noun '酸化 (さんか)' refers to the chemical process of oxidation, where a substance combines with oxygen or loses electrons. This term is commonly used in scientific contexts, such as chemistry or biology, but can also appear in everyday language when discussing rusting or spoilage. For example: Iron undergoes oxidation and rusts「鉄は酸化して錆びる」(てつはさんかしてさびる). The oxidation of food causes it to spoil「食べ物の酸化は腐敗の原因です」(たべもののさんかはふはいのげんいんです). Note that '酸化' is often used in compound words, such as '酸化防止剤 (さんかぼうしざい)' (antioxidant).

    Radical

    Stroke Count

    14

    JLPT

    N1

    Grade

    5

    Frequency

    1586

    Handwriting

Parts of the Kanji

If you visually break down this kanji, you can see it is made up of 2 parts:

    radical

    Meaning

    Bird of the zodiac

    component

Words Using

This kanji is used in 4 words:

    word

    酸っぱい

    Meaning

    Sour

    word

    Meaning

    Acid

    word

    酸素

    Meaning

    Oxygen

    word

    酸化

    Meaning

    Oxidation

Kanji Related to Through the Part

These 13 kanji contain the part 酉 as well.

    kanji

    Meaning

    Alcohol, Sake

    kanji

    Meaning

    Distribute

    kanji

    Meaning

    Drunk

    kanji

    Meaning

    Ugly

    kanji

    Meaning

    Vinegar

    kanji

    Meaning

    Cruel, Severe

    kanji

    Meaning

    Brew

    kanji

    Meaning

    Ferment, Fermentation

    kanji

    Meaning

    Pour wine, Bartending

    kanji

    Meaning

    Dairy produce, Dairy

    kanji

    Meaning

    Reward, Repay

    kanji

    Meaning

    Sake

    kanji

    Meaning

    Awakening

Kanji Related to Through the Part

These 2 kanji contain the part 夋 as well.

    kanji

    Meaning

    Brilliant, Genius

    kanji

    Meaning

    Entice, Instigate

Learn the Kanji

Let's make sure you fully understand this kanji.

What does 酸 mean?

酸 means 'Bitter' and 'Acid'.

Japanese school students learn this kanji in Fifth Grade, while non-native learners often study it for the JLPT N1 exam.

To help you master this kanji, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.