What is the Kanji for "Heart"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Heart" is "心".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Kokoro".

Its onyomi reading is "Shin".

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 3 parts:

The radical "⺃" means "Second" . The radical "丶" means "Dot" . And The radical "丿" means "Katakana no" .

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

What does the kanji "心" mean in japanese?

"心" means "Heart".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N4 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

心: "Heart". The Japanese noun '心 (こころ)' refers to the heart or mind of a person. It encompasses a person's feelings, emotions, spirit, and inner self. This word is often used to describe someone's mental state, motivations, and overall well-being. For example: His heart is full of love - (彼の心は愛に満ちている). I will keep you in my heart - (あなたを心に留めています).

中心: "Center". The Japanese noun '中心 (ちゅうしん)' means 'center'. It is used to refer to the middle or most important part of something. This word is commonly used to describe the central point or focus of an object, location, or concept. For example: The center of the city - (街の中心). The center of a circle - (円の中心). She is the center of attention - (彼女は注目の中心)

安心: "Peace of mind". The verbal noun '安心 (あんしん)' means 'peace of mind'. It refers to a feeling of reassurance, security or lack of worries. This word is often used to express a state of calmness and composure, when someone is free from anxiety or distress. For example: I feel at peace of mind when I'm with my family - (家族といるときは安心します). He feels a sense of peace of mind after passing the exam - (試験に合格して安心した).

心配: "Worry". The Japanese verbal noun '心配 (しんぱい)' means 'worry'. It refers to a feeling of anxiety, concern or uneasiness about a situation or future event. It can be used to express one's own worries or to ask about the worries of others. For example: I'm worried about the exam - (試験について心配だ). Don't worry, everything will be fine - (心配しないで、大丈夫だ).

関心: "Interest". The Japanese noun '関心 (かんしん)' means 'interest'. This word is used to describe a state of wanting to learn, know or experience something. It can refer to something that you care about or that you pay attention to. For example: She has a strong interest in art - (彼女は美術に強い関心を持っている). I have no interest in sports - (私はスポーツに関心がない).

心理: "Psychology". The Japanese noun '心理 (しんり)' refers to the study of the human mind and behavior. It encompasses various aspects such as cognition, emotion, and personality. This field of study aims to understand the underlying mental processes that influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions. For example: She is majoring in psychology - (彼女は心理学を専攻している). The psychology of child development is fascinating - (子供の発達心理学は魅力的である).

決心: "Determination". The Japanese verbal noun '決心 (けっしん)' means 'determination'. It refers to the act of firmly deciding or resolving to do something. It expresses a strong, unwavering commitment to a course of action. For example: Her determination to succeed is admirable - (彼女の成功への決心は称賛に値する). I made the determination to change careers - (私は職業を変える決心をした).

心強い: "Strong" or "Resolute". The Japanese adjective '心強い (こころづよい)' means 'strong' or 'resolute'. It is used to describe someone or something that is powerful, courageous, and determined. This adjective conveys a sense of confidence and reliability. For example: His strong will helped him overcome the challenge - (彼の心強い意志が彼その難関を乗り越えるのを助けた). I feel strong support from my friends - (私は友人からの心強い支えを感じる).

初心: "Beginner". The noun '初心 (しょしん)' means 'beginner'. This word refers to a person who is new to a particular activity or field, someone who is just starting out and lacks experience. It conveys a sense of being a novice or a beginner with a sincere and earnest attitude. For example: He is still a beginner at cooking - (彼は料理の初心者です). As a beginner, I am eager to learn - (初心者として、私は熱心に学びたいと思います).

感心: "Admiration". The Japanese verbal noun '感心 (かんしん)' means 'admiration'. It expresses a positive feeling or appreciation for someone or something. It is often used to express approval or praise for someone's actions or achievements. For example: I have admiration for her hard work - (彼女の努力に感心する). This expression shows respect and esteem. The word can also be used to describe a state of being impressed or fascinated by something.

心臓: "Heart". The Japanese adjectival noun '心臓 (しんぞう)' refers to the heart, the vital organ responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. It is an important part of the cardiovascular system and is essential for maintaining life. This term can be used to describe the heart both physically and metaphorically, such as in expressions related to emotions or courage. For example: His heart is strong - (彼の心臓は強い). The heart of the city - (街の心臓)

熱心: "Enthusiasm". The Japanese adjectival noun '熱心 (ねっしん)' means 'enthusiasm'. It describes a strong and sincere passion or interest in something. This word can be used to describe a person who is dedicated and devoted to their work, studies, or hobbies. For example: She has great enthusiasm for her work - (彼女はその仕事に熱心です). The student is enthusiastic about learning - (その学生は勉強に熱心です).

好奇心: "Curiosity". The noun '好奇心 (こうきしん)' means 'curiosity'. It refers to a strong desire to learn or know more about something. '好奇心' suggests an inquisitive nature and eagerness to explore the unknown. For example: She has a lot of curiosity about the natural world - (彼女は自然界に対する大きな好奇心がある). I'm always curious to try new things - (私は常に新しいことを試してみる好奇心がある).

心細い: "Anxious". The adjective '心細い (こころぼそい)' means 'anxious'. This word describes a feeling of unease, worry or apprehension. It implies a sense of vulnerability or lack of confidence in a situation. For example: I feel anxious about the upcoming exam - (試験に向けて心細い思いがする). She looks anxious about the news - (その知らせに心細そうだ).

苦心: "Effort" or "Pains". The verbal noun '苦心 (くしん)' means 'effort' or 'pains'. It refers to the act of trying hard or struggling to accomplish something, often overcoming difficulties or challenges in the process. This word conveys a sense of diligence, perseverance, and the difficulty involved in a task. For example: It took great effort to finish the project - (プロジェクトを完成させるのに苦心した). They put in a lot of pains to make this product - (この製品を作るのに苦心した).

用心: "Caution". The Japanese verbal noun '用心 (ようじん)' means 'caution'. This word refers to the act of being cautious, careful, or watchful. It implies being attentive and mindful in order to avoid potential danger or problems. For example: I must exercise caution when walking on the icy sidewalk - (滑りやすい歩道を歩くときは用心しなければならない). Please be cautious when crossing the street - (道を渡るときは十分に用心してください).

都心: "Downtown". The Japanese noun '都心 (としん)' refers to the central, most urbanized part of a city or metropolitan area. It typically contains the main business, commercial, and administrative districts. For example: The stores and offices are all located in the downtown area - (都心にお店や事務所がたくさんある). I work in the downtown area of Tokyo - (私は東京の都心で働いている).

肝心: "Crucial" or "Essential". The Japanese adjectival noun '肝心 (かんじん)' means 'crucial' or 'essential'. It is used to describe something that is extremely important or critical to a situation or task. The word has nuances of being the most important or central aspect of something. For example: The key point is crucial - (肝心のポイントです). This decision is essential - (この決定は肝心だ).

心掛ける: "Strive" or "Make an effort". The Japanese verb '心掛ける (こころがける)' means to 'strive' or 'make an effort'. It expresses a strong determination and willingness to do something. It can be used to describe someone making a conscious effort to achieve a goal or improve themselves. For example: I will strive to get better at Japanese - (日本語が上手くなるよう心掛けます). She makes an effort to be kind to everyone - (皆に優しくするよう心掛けている).

心身: "Mind and body". The noun '心身 (しんしん)' refers to the combination of one's mental/psychological state (心) and physical/bodily state (身). It encapsulates the holistic idea that a person's well-being is dependent on both their mental and physical condition. For example: The training improved my mind and body - (その訓練は私の心身を向上させた). Maintaining good mental and physical health is important - (心身の健康を保つことが重要です).

真心: "Sincerity". The Japanese noun '真心 (まごころ)' means 'sincerity'. This word refers to a genuine, heartfelt, and honest concern or devotion towards something or someone. It conveys a sense of purity and authenticity in one's thoughts, feelings, and actions. For example: She showed true sincerity in her apology - (彼女の謝罪には真心がこもっていた). I will do my best with all sincerity - (私は真心を持ってできる限り頑張ります).

無関心: "Indifference". The adjectival noun '無関心 (むかんしん)' means 'indifference'. It expresses a lack of interest, concern or attention towards something. The word can be used to describe a person's attitude or emotional state, as well as the nature of a situation. For example: His indifference to the problem was frustrating - (その問題に対する彼の無関心が苛立たせた). She has an indifferent attitude towards politics - (彼女は政治に無関心だ).

内心: "Inner mind". The noun '内心 (ないしん)' refers to one's innermost thoughts, feelings or emotions that are not outwardly expressed. It describes the private, hidden aspects of a person's mind or heart. For example: She kept her true inner feelings to herself - (彼女は内心の気持ちを隠していた). I wonder what is on his inner mind right now - (彼の内心はいまどうなんだろう)

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 "し" is read as "shi". The hiragana "ん" is read as "n". The hiragana "こ" is read as "ko". And The hiragana "ろ" is read as "ro".

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.