What is the Kanji for "Thought"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Thought" is "念".

This kanji has 1 reading:

Its onyomi reading is "Nen".

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 "今" means "Now" and can be read as "Kon" and "Ima". And The kanji "心" means "Heart" and can be read as "Shin" and "Kokoro".

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

What does the kanji "念" mean in japanese?

"念" means "Thought".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fourth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

概念: "Concept". The noun '概念 (がいねん)' means 'concept'. This word refers to an abstract idea or notion that represents something fundamental to understanding a particular subject or situation. It describes a general idea or principle that is not tied to a specific instance, but rather a broader understanding. For example: The concept of justice is important to our society - (正義の概念は我々の社会にとって重要である). She had a clear concept of what she wanted to achieve - (彼女には達成したいことの明確な概念があった).

記念日: "Anniversary". The Japanese noun '記念日 (きねんび)' means 'anniversary'. This word refers to a date that commemorates a significant event, such as a wedding, graduation, or the founding of a company or organization. It is often celebrated annually. For example: Today is my wedding anniversary - (今日は私の結婚記念日です). We celebrated the company's 50th anniversary - (会社の創立50周年を祝いました).

残念: "Regrettable". The adjectival noun '残念 (ざんねん)' means 'regrettable'. It expresses a sense of disappointment, sorrow, or dissatisfaction about a situation. It can be used to describe an unfortunate event, failure, or missed opportunity. For example: It's regrettable that I couldn't attend the party - (残念ながら、パーティに出席できませんでした). I'm really regrettable about spilling the coffee - (コーヒーをこぼしてしまって本当に残念です).

観念: "Concept". The Japanese noun '観念 (かんねん)' means 'concept'. This word refers to an abstract idea or notion that exists in the mind. It can be used to describe a general understanding or perception about something. For example: He has a clear concept of what he wants to do - (彼は自分がしたいことの明確な観念を持っている). The concept of justice is important - (正義の観念は重要である)

念: "Thought". The noun '念 (ねん)' means 'thought'. It refers to a mental activity or state, such as a strong belief, desire, or intention. It can also mean 'concern' or 'care'. For example: I have a strong thought about this issue - (この問題に対する私の念は強い). The teacher has a thought for the students - (先生は生徒たちへの念がある).

理念: "Principle". The noun '理念 (りねん)' means 'principle'. It refers to a fundamental idea, belief, or value that serves as the foundation for a person's or organization's actions and decisions. It encompasses the fundamental concepts, philosophies, and ideals that guide and motivate behavior. For example: The company's actions are guided by its core principles - (その会社の行動は、その理念によって導かれている). We must always stay true to our principles - (私たちは常に自分の理念に忠実でなくてはいけない).

記念: "Commemoration". The verbal noun '記念 (きねん)' means 'commemoration'. It refers to an act of remembering or celebrating a special event or occasion. This word is commonly used when talking about commemorating important dates, achievements, or milestones. For example: We held a commemoration for the 50th anniversary of the company - (会社の設立50周年を記念した). The memorial service was a commemoration of his life - (彼の人生を記念する葬儀が行われた).

信念: "Belief". The Japanese noun '信念 (しんねん)' means 'belief'. It refers to a firmly held conviction, principle or opinion that a person holds to be true. It is often associated with one's faith, ideology or personal values. For example: She has a strong belief in equality - (彼女には平等に対する強い信念がある). My beliefs guide my actions - (私の信念が行動を導いている).

念仏: "Prayer". The Japanese noun '念仏 (ねんぶつ)' refers to a Buddhist prayer or chant, often focused on the Buddha Amida. It is a central practice in Pure Land Buddhism, where devotees repeatedly chant the name of Amida Buddha (Namu Amida Butsu) as a means of attaining rebirth in the Pure Land. These recitations are believed to cleanse the practitioner's mind and bring them closer to salvation.念仏 (ねんぶつ) is an important ritual in Buddhist temples and homes. For example: My grandmother often recites the nenbutsu - (おばあちゃんは良く念仏を唱える).

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 "ね" is read as "ne". And The hiragana "ん" is read as "n".

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.