What is the Kanji for "Grade" and "Rank"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Grade" and "Rank" is "級".

This kanji has 1 reading:

Its onyomi reading is "Kyuu".

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 kanji "及" means "Reach" and "Extend" and can be read as "Kyuu" and "Oyo".

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

What does the kanji "級" mean in japanese?

"級" means "Grade" and "Rank".

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

Here are some words that use this kanji:

階級: "Rank" or "Class". The Japanese noun '階級 (かいきゅう)' can mean 'rank' or 'class'. It refers to a hierarchical position or level within a social, military, or organizational structure. For example: The officer has a high rank - (その軍曹は高い階級だ). He belongs to the middle class - (彼は中階級に属している).

高級: "High-class". The adjectival noun '高級 (こうきゅう)' refers to something that is of a very high quality or standard, particularly in terms of expense or luxury. It is often used to describe products, services, or establishments that are upscale and intended for a more affluent clientele. For example: This restaurant is high-class - (この料理店は高級です). I bought a high-class camera - (高級なカメラを買いました).

級: "Grade" or "Class". The Japanese noun '級 (きゅう)' has two main meanings. The first meaning is 'grade', referring to a level or standard, often used in an educational context to denote a student's year or level of schooling, such as 1st grade - (1 級). The second meaning is 'class', which can refer to a group or category, such as high class - (上級)。When used in compound words, 級 can indicate a level or rank, such as in 初級 (しょきゅう, beginner level) or 上級 (じょうきゅう, advanced level).

初級: "Beginner". The Japanese noun '初級 (しょきゅう)' means 'beginner'. This word is used to describe someone who is new to a particular subject or activity and is just starting to learn or practice it. For example: I'm taking a beginner's Japanese class - (私は初級の日本語クラスを取っています). Beginner's guide - (初級者向けガイド)

学級: "Class". The Japanese noun '学級 (がっきゅう)' means 'class'. It refers to a group of students who study together at the same grade level in a school. This term is commonly used in the context of elementary, middle, and high schools to describe the specific group a student belongs to. For example: The students in my class are very friendly - (私のクラスの生徒はとてもフレンドリーです). My class has 30 students - (私のクラスには30人の生徒がいます).

上級: "Advanced". The Japanese noun '上級 (じょうきゅう)' means 'advanced'. This noun refers to a high level of skill, knowledge, or expertise in a particular field or subject. It is often used to describe a stage of learning or proficiency that goes beyond the basic or intermediate levels. For example: He is an advanced student - (彼は上級の学生です). This is an advanced class - (これは上級クラスです).

同級生: "Classmate". The Japanese noun '同級生 (どうきゅうせい)' refers to a 'classmate', someone who is in the same grade or class as another person. This term is commonly used in educational settings to describe fellow students who are part of the same cohort. For example: My classmate is very smart - (私の同級生はとてもいい学生です). I made a new classmate in my math class - (数学の授業で新しい同級生ができた).

中級: "Intermediate". The noun '中級 (ちゅうきゅう)' refers to an 'intermediate' level or stage, usually in the context of language proficiency, education level, or skill development. It indicates a level that is between beginner and advanced. For example: My Japanese level is intermediate - (私の日本語のレベルは中級です). She is studying at the intermediate English class - (彼女は中級の英語クラスに通っています).

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 "き" is read as "ki". And The hiragana "う" is read as "u".

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.