If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for
"Try" and "Attempt", you've come to the right place!
The Japanese Kanji for
"Try" and "Attempt"
is "試".
This kanji has 3 readings:
Its kunyomi readings are "Kokoro" and "Tame".
Its onyomi reading is "Shi".
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 radical "訁" means "Say"
. And The kanji "式" means "Style" and "Ceremony"
and can be read as "Shiki".
Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.
What does the kanji "試" mean in japanese?
"試" means
"Try" and "Attempt"
.
Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fourth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N4 exam.
Here are some words that use this kanji:
試験: "Test" or "Exam". The Japanese verbal noun '試験 (しけん)' primarily means 'exam' or 'test'. It refers to a formal assessment of knowledge, skills, or abilities, often conducted in educational or professional settings. This word is commonly used in contexts like school exams, job entrance tests, or experiments. For example: I have an exam tomorrow「明日は試験があ ります」(あしたはしけんがあります). He passed the entrance test「彼は入学試験に合格した」(かれはにゅうがくしけんにごうかくした). Note that '試験' can also refer to trials or experiments in scientific or technical contexts, such as '試験管 (しけんかん)' (test tube). 試合: "Match". The Japanese verbal noun '試合 (しあい)' refers to a 'match' or 'game', typically in the context of sports or competitions. It is used to describe a formal contest between individuals or teams. For example: I watched a soccer match「サッカーの試合を見た」(サッカーのしあいをみた). Tomorrow there is a tennis match「明日テニスの試合がある」(あしたテニスのしあいがある). The word is commonly used in sports-related contexts and can be applied to various types of competitive events. 試す: "Try" or "Test". The Japanese verb '試す (ためす)' means 'to test' or 'to try'. It is used when someone wants to check the effectiveness, quality, or functionality of something. This verb can be applied to physical objects, methods, or even ideas. For example: I will test this new recipe「この新しいレシピを試す」(このあたらしいレシピをためす). He tried the new software「彼は新しいソフトウェアを試した」(かれはあたらしいソフトウェアをためした). The nuance of '試す' often implies an experimental or trial approach to see if something works or is suitable. 試みる: "Attempt". The Japanese verb '試みる (こころみる)' means 'to attempt' or 'to try'. It is used when someone makes an effort to do something, often implying that the action is experimental or involves some degree of challenge. This verb is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. For example: I will attempt to solve this problem「この問題を解決しようと試みる」(このもんだいをかいけつしようとこころみる). He attempted to climb the mountain「彼は山に登ろうと試みた」(かれはやまにのぼろうとこころみた). The verb can also be used to describe trying out new methods or ideas, as in '新しい方法を試みる (あたらしいほうほうをこころみる) (to try a new method)'. 試み: "Attempt". The Japanese noun '試み (こころみ)' means 'attempt' or 'effort'. It refers to an act of trying to achieve something, often implying a trial or experiment. This word is commonly used in contexts where someone is trying something new or testing a method. For example: His attempt to climb the mountain was successful「彼の山登りの試みは成功した」(かれのやまのぼりのこころみはせいこうした). This is an attempt to solve the problem「これは問題を解決する試みです」(これはもんだいをかいけつするこころみです). The word can also carry a nuance of experimentation or a preliminary effort, as in 'a trial attempt'. 入試: "Entrance exam". The Japanese noun '入試 (にゅうし)' refers to an 'entrance examination'. This term is commonly used in the context of education, specifically for exams that students must take to gain admission to schools, universities, or other educational institutions. For example: I am studying for the entrance exam「私は入試の勉強をしています」(わたしはにゅうしのべんきょうをしています). The entrance exam is next week「入試は来週です」(にゅうしはらいしゅうです). It is a crucial step in the Japanese education system and often carries significant weight in determining a student's future academic path. 試し: "Test". The Japanese noun '試し (ためし)' means 'test' or 'trial'. It refers to the act of trying something out to see how it works or to evaluate its quality. This word is often used in contexts where someone is experimenting or attempting something for the first time. For example: Let's give it a try「試しにやってみよう」(ためしにやってみよう). I tried the new recipe「新しいレシピを試しに作った」(あたらしいレシピをためしにつくった). The word can also imply a sense of curiosity or exploration, as in testing the limits or possibilities of something. 筆記試験: "Written exam". The Japanese noun '筆記試験 (ひっきしけん)' refers to a 'written exam' or 'written test'. It is commonly used in academic or professional settings to describe an examination where answers are written down, as opposed to oral or practical exams. For example: I have a written exam tomorrow「明日は筆記試験があります」(あしたはひっきしけんがあります). The written exam was difficult「筆記試験は難しかった」(ひっきしけんはむずかしかった). This term is often used in contexts like school, university, or job qualification tests. 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 "こ" is read as "ko". The hiragana "ろ" is read as "ro". The hiragana "た" is read as "ta". And The hiragana "め" is read as "me".