What is the Kanji for "Teach"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Teach" is "教".

This kanji has 3 readings:

Its kunyomi readings are "Oso" and "Oshi".

Its onyomi reading is "Kyou".

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 "孝" means "Filial piety" and can be read as "Kou". And The radical "攵" means "Strike" .

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

What does the kanji "教" mean in japanese?

"教" means "Teach".

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:

教える: "Teach". The Japanese verb '教える (おしえる)' means 'to teach'. This verb is used when someone is imparting knowledge or skills to another person. It can be used in various contexts, such as a teacher teaching a student, a parent teaching a child, or an expert teaching a novice. For example: The teacher taught the students how to solve the problem - (先生が生徒たちに問題の解き方を教えた). I will teach you how to use this machine - (このマシンの使い方を教えましょう).

宗教: "Religion". The Japanese noun '宗教 (しゅうきょう)' means 'religion'. This word refers to a system of faith and worship, typically involving belief in a supernatural power or powers and a code of ethics. It is used to describe organized systems of belief, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, or Islam. For example: Japan has many different religions - (日本には様々な宗教がある). The temple is an important site for the local religion - (この寺院は地域の宗教にとって重要な場所だ).

教育: "Education". The verbal noun '教育 (きょういく)' means 'education'. It refers to the process of teaching, training and learning, with the goal of developing knowledge, skills, values, and character. Education can take place in formal settings such as schools and universities, or informally through life experiences. For example: I'm interested in the field of education - (私は教育の分野に興味がある). Excellent education is important for a child's development - (子供の発達にとって優れた教育は重要である).

教授: "Professor". The Japanese noun '教授 (きょうじゅ)' means 'professor'. A professor is a highly educated academic who teaches at a university or college. Professors are experts in their field of study and are responsible for lecturing, conducting research, and supervising students. For example: He is a professor of biology - (彼は生物学の教授です). The university has many distinguished professors - (その大学には多くの著名な教授がいる).

教: "Education". The Japanese suffix '教 (きょう)' means 'education'. It is used to form words related to academic disciplines, fields of study, or belief systems. For example: 医学教(いがくきょう) - Medical education, 仏教(ぶっきょう) - Buddhism. The suffix indicates that the word is related to a particular branch of knowledge or a system of beliefs.

教師: "Teacher". The Japanese noun '教師 (きょうし)' means 'teacher'. This word is used to refer to a person whose occupation is to teach, typically at a school or university. Teachers play a crucial role in educating and guiding students. For example: She is a math teacher - (彼女は数学の教師です). The teacher explained the lesson - (先生が授業を説明しました).

教科書: "Textbook". The Japanese noun '教科書 (きょうかしょ)' refers to a textbook or a book used for the purposes of formal education. Textbooks are an essential tool in schools and universities, containing the core curriculum content for a particular subject. For example: He opened his textbook - (彼は教科書を開いた). I need to buy a new textbook for my math class - (私は数学の新しい教科書を買う必要があります).

教会: "Church". The Japanese noun '教会 (きょうかい)' refers to a Christian place of worship. It is a building where Christians gather to pray, hold religious services, and engage in other religious activities. '教会' can be used to describe both the physical building itself as well as the religious community that meets there. For example: I went to the church on Sunday - (日曜日に教会に行った)。The old church in the town center is very beautiful - (町の中心にある古い教会はとてもきれいです).

教科: "Subject". The Japanese noun '教科 (きょうか)' means 'subject'. This refers to the different areas of study or academic disciplines that are taught in schools, such as math, science, history, and language arts. For example: My favorite subject is math - (私の好きな教科は数学です). She takes many subjects in school - (彼女は学校で多くの教科を取っています).

仏教: "Buddhism". 仏教 (ぶっきょう)' refers to the system of religious beliefs and practices that originated in ancient India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha. The term encompasses the various traditions, beliefs, and spiritual practices that form the foundation of this religion. Buddhism emphasizes the importance of personal spiritual development, the attainment of enlightenment, and the reduction of suffering through the eightfold path. Some key aspects of Buddhism include the four noble truths, the concept of karma, and the belief in reincarnation. Buddhism has had a profound influence on the cultural, artistic, and philosophical traditions of many countries, particularly in Asia. For example: Buddhism is the dominant religion in Japan - (仏教は日本の主要な宗教である)

教室: "Classroom". The Japanese noun '教室 (きょうしつ)' refers to a room or space used for teaching, instruction, or educational purposes. It is commonly found in schools, colleges, and other learning environments. For example: The teacher is in the classroom - (先生は教室にいます). I went to the classroom for my math class - (数学の授業の教室に行きました).

キリスト教: "Christianity". The Japanese word 'キリスト教 (きりすときょう)' refers to the religion of Christianity. It originated in the Middle East and is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christianity is one of the major world religions and has many different denominations and branches. It is widely practiced in many countries around the world. For example: She converted to Christianity - (彼女はキリスト教に改宗した). My family has been Christian for generations - (うちの家系はキリスト教徒が代々いる).

イスラム教: "Islam". The Japanese noun 'イスラム教 (イスラムきょう)' refers to the religion of Islam. Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion that originated in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century CE. It is the world's second-largest religion after Christianity. Some key tenets of Islam include belief in one God (Allah), the Five Pillars of Islam, and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as recorded in the Quran. Islam has a rich cultural and historical legacy, influencing art, architecture, philosophy, and more. For example: She converted to Islam - (彼女はイスラム教に改宗した).

教わる: "Learn". The Japanese verb '教わる (おそわる)' means 'to learn'. This verb expresses the act of receiving instruction or guidance from someone, often a teacher or expert. It indicates that the subject is in a student or learner role, and is acquiring knowledge or skills from an instructor. For example: I learned how to play the piano - (ピアノの弾き方を教わった). She is learning tea ceremony from a master - (彼女は茶道の先生に教わっている).

教え: "Lesson". The Japanese noun '教え (おしえ)' means 'lesson'. This word refers to the act of teaching or instructing someone, as well as the information or knowledge that is imparted. It can be used to describe a specific lesson, a teaching or piece of advice. For example: The teacher's lesson was very informative - (先生の教えは大変参考になった). I learned an important life lesson - (大切な教えを学んだ).

教員: "Teacher". The Japanese noun '教員 (きょういん)' refers to a teacher or educator. It is a general term that can be used to describe any kind of teacher, whether they work at a school, university, or other educational institution. This word conveys a sense of expertise and professionalism in the field of education. For example: The teachers worked hard to prepare their lessons - (教員たちは授業の準備に一生懸命だった)。She is a dedicated elementary school teacher - (彼女は熱心な小学校の教員だ).

教養: "Culture" or "Education". The noun '教養 (きょうよう)' has two main meanings. The first is 'culture', referring to the intellectual and artistic achievements of a particular civilization, nation, or people. This includes things like literature, art, music, and philosophy. The second meaning is 'education', signifying the knowledge and skills obtained through formal schooling or self-study. Someone with '教養' is considered to be cultured and well-educated. For example: She has a lot of 教養 - (彼女は教養が豊かだ). I want to improve my 教養 - (私は自分の教養を高めたい).

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". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". The hiragana "お" is read as "o". The hiragana "そ" is read as "so". And The hiragana "し" is read as "shi".

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.