What is the Kanji for "Element"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Element" is "素".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its onyomi readings are "Su" and "So".

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

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "糸" means "Thread" and can be read as "Ito" and "Shi". And The radical "龶" means "Life" .

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

What does the kanji "素" mean in japanese?

"素" means "Element".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fifth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N1 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

要素: "Element". The Japanese noun '要素 (ようそ)' means 'element'. This word is used to refer to a fundamental part or component that makes up a whole. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in science to describe the basic building blocks of matter, or in a more general sense to talk about the essential parts or factors that contribute to something. For example: The elements of a successful team - (成功チームの要素は). This chemical element is essential for life - (この化学要素は生命に不可欠だ).

素晴らしい: "Wonderful". The adjective '素晴らしい (すばらしい)' means 'wonderful'. It is used to describe something of exceptionally high quality, great beauty, or outstanding merit. This word can be used to express admiration, appreciation, or delight. For example: This sunset is wonderful - (この夕日は素晴らしい). She sang wonderfully - (彼女は素晴らしく歌った).

素材: "Material". The Japanese noun '素材 (そざい)' refers to a material or substance that is used to make something. It can be used to describe the raw components or ingredients that go into creating a final product, such as the materials used to make clothing, furniture, or food. For example: The materials for this dish are fresh and natural - (この料理の素材は新鮮で自然です). I need to purchase some materials to build a table - (テーブルを作るための素材を買う必要があります).

酸素: "Oxygen". The Japanese noun '酸素 (さんそ)' refers to the chemical element oxygen, which is a colorless, odorless gas that makes up about 21% of the Earth's atmosphere. It is essential for respiration and sustaining life. Examples: I need oxygen to breathe - (呼吸するには酸素が必要です). Plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis - (植物は光合成を通して酸素を生み出します).

素: "Basic". The prefix '素 (そ)' means 'basic' or 'fundamental'. It is used to indicate something that is simple, essential, or in its most basic form. For example: Basic ingredients - (素材), Basic instinct - (素本能), Basic personality - (素性). The prefix '素' conveys a sense of purity, simplicity, or the core essence of something.

素直: "Obedient". The Japanese adjective '素直 (すなお)' means 'obedient'. This adjective describes someone who is easily led, compliant, and willing to follow instructions or rules without resistance. It carries a positive connotation of being honest, straightforward, and humble. For example: She is an obedient child - (彼女は素直な子供です). He has an obedient nature - (彼は素直な性格です).

水素: "Hydrogen". The Japanese noun '水素 (すいそ)' refers to the chemical element hydrogen. Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element in the universe. It is a colorless, odorless gas that is highly flammable. Hydrogen is a key component in the chemical composition of many compounds and is used in various industrial and scientific applications. For example: Hydrogen gas can be used to power vehicles - (水素ガスは自動車の燃料として使用できる).

素早い: "Fast" or "Quick". The Japanese adjective '素早い (すばやい)' means 'fast' or 'quick'. It describes something that moves or acts with great speed and agility. This word can be used to describe the movement of people, animals, or objects. For example: She ran fast - (彼女は素早く走った). The cheetah is a fast animal - (チーターは素早い動物です).

素敵: "Nice". The Japanese adjective '素敵 (すてき)' means 'nice'. It is used to describe something that is pleasant, attractive, or excellent. This adjective can be applied to a wide range of things, from physical objects to abstract concepts. For example: That dress is so nice - (あの服はとてもすてきです). She has a nice personality - (彼女はとてもすてきな性格です).

素人: "Novice". The Japanese noun '素人 (しろうと)' refers to a person who lacks expertise or experience in a particular field or activity. It is often used to describe someone who is new to a subject or hobby, in contrast to an expert or professional. For example: He is just a novice at playing the piano - (彼はピアノの素人にすぎない). The novice golfer struggled with the difficult course - (素人ゴルファーはこの難しいコースで苦戦した).

酵素: "Enzyme". The Japanese noun '酵素 (こうそ)' refers to an enzyme, which is a biological catalyst that accelerates chemical reactions in living organisms. Enzymes play a crucial role in various metabolic processes, such as digestion, respiration, and cell signaling. They are complex proteins that help speed up reactions by lowering the activation energy required. For example: The enzyme in saliva helps digest food - (唾液の酵素は食べ物を消化する). Enzymes are important for maintaining good health - (酵素は健康維持に重要だ)

炭素: "Carbon". The Japanese noun '炭素 (たんそ)' refers to the chemical element carbon. Carbon is a fundamental element that is found in all organic compounds and is essential for life on Earth. It is used in many industrial processes and products, such as plastics, fuel, and building materials. For example: Diamond is made of carbon - (ダイヤモンドは炭素でできている). Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas - (二酸化炭素は温室効果ガスだ).

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 "す" is read as "su". And The hiragana "そ" is read as "so".

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.