What is the Kanji for "Use"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Use" is "用".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Mochi".

Its onyomi reading is "You".

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 "月" means "Moon" and "Month" and can be read as "Tsuki", "Getsu", and "Gatsu". And The radical "丨" means "Stick" .

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

What does the kanji "用" mean in japanese?

"用" means "Use".

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:

用いる: "Use". The Japanese verb '用いる (もちいる)' means 'to use'. It is used to indicate that someone or something is utilizing or employing an object, tool, or resource. It can be used in a wide variety of contexts, such as using a computer, using a tool to fix something, or using a specific method or technique. For example: I use a pencil to write - (私は鉛筆を用いて書きます). This method is used to solve the problem - (この方法を用いて問題を解決します).

利用: "Use". The Japanese verbal noun '利用 (りよう)' means 'use'. This word is used to describe the act of utilizing or making use of something. It can be applied to a wide variety of contexts, such as using a tool, taking advantage of a service, or employing a method. For example: I will use this computer - (私はこのパソコンを利用します). You can use the library - (図書館を利用できます).

用意: "Preparation". The verbal noun '用意(ようい)' means 'preparation'. It refers to the action of getting ready or making arrangements for something. '用意する' is the verb form and means 'to prepare'. For example: I need to make preparations for the party - (パーティーの用意をしなければなりません). She is well prepared for the exam - (彼女は試験の用意ができています).

費用: "Cost". The Japanese noun '費用 (ひよう)' means 'cost'. This word refers to the money that is required or spent in order to purchase or accomplish something. It can be used to talk about the total expenses involved in a project, activity or purchase. For example: The cost of the trip was high - (旅行の費用は高かった). The costs of running the business are increasing - (事業の費用がますます増えている).

採用: "Hiring". The Japanese verbal noun '採用 (さいよう)' means 'hiring'. It refers to the process of selecting and employing people to fill job positions within an organization. For example: The company is currently in the process of hiring new employees - (その会社は現在新しい従業員を採用しています). He got hired for the new position - (彼は新しいポジションに採用されました).

使用: "Use". The verbal noun '使用 (しよう)' means 'use'. It refers to the action of utilizing or employing something. This word is often used to describe the way in which a tool, resource, or service is applied. For example: The use of technology has become more prevalent - (技術の使用がより一般的になってきた). He is making good use of his time - (彼は自分の時間を上手に使用している).

作用: "Effect" or "Influence". The Japanese verbal noun '作用 (さよう)' refers to an 'effect' or 'influence'. It can be used to describe the impact or result of an action or phenomenon. For example: This medicine has a strong effect - (この薬は強い作用があります). The sun's rays have an effect on the plants - (太陽の光線が植物に作用します).

使用人: "Servant". The Japanese noun '使用人 (しようにん)' refers to a servant or attendant who performs domestic duties in a household. This person is usually employed by a wealthy or high-ranking individual to assist with daily tasks and chores. The '使用人' plays an important role in traditional Japanese households and is often treated with respect. For example: The servant prepared the meals - (使用人が食事の用意をした). The lord had his servants clean the house - (殿様は使用人に家を掃除させた).

悪用: "Misuse". The noun '悪用 (あくよう)' means 'misuse'. This word refers to the improper or unintended use of something, typically in a harmful or detrimental way. It can be used to describe the misapplication of tools, technology, information, or other resources. For example: The technology was misused - (そのテクノロジーは悪用された). The sensitive information was misused by the criminal - (その機密情報は犯罪者に悪用された).

活用: "Conjugation". The Japanese verbal noun '活用 (かつよう)' means 'conjugation'. It refers to the process of changing the form of a verb to indicate different grammatical functions, such as tense, aspect, mood, and voice. Conjugation is an essential aspect of the Japanese language, as verbs must be properly conjugated to convey the intended meaning. For example: Verb conjugation is important - (動詞の活用は大切です). He conjugated the verb correctly - (彼は動詞を正しく活用した).

引用: "Quote". The Japanese verbal noun '引用 (いんよう)' means 'to quote'. It refers to the act of citing or reproducing a passage or statement from another source, such as a book, article, or speech. This word is commonly used in academic and professional contexts when referencing external materials. For example: She quoted the passage in her presentation - (彼女は発表の中でその文章を引用した). The report quotes several experts on the topic - (その報告書は、その話題について複数の専門家の引用を含んでいる).

急用: "Urgent matter". The noun 急用 (きゅうよう) means 'urgent matter'. It refers to a situation or task that requires immediate attention and needs to be dealt with quickly. This word is often used to describe a sudden, unexpected, and pressing issue that takes priority over other activities. For example: I have to leave early today because of an urgent matter - (急用があるので今日は早退しなければなりません). The company suddenly had an urgent matter to attend to - (会社で急用が発生したので)

運用: "Operate". The Japanese verbal noun '運用 (うんよう)' means 'to operate'. It refers to the act of managing, controlling or utilizing something, such as a system, device or resource. It can be used in contexts like: They will operate the new system - (彼らは新しいシステムを運用するだろう). This information system is well-operated - (この情報システムはよく運用されている).

信用: "Trust". The verbal noun '信用 (しんよう)' means 'trust'. It refers to having confidence in someone or something, and believing that they are reliable, honest, and will act in your best interests. This word is commonly used to describe the level of trust between people or organizations. For example: I have complete trust in him - (私は彼を完全に信用している). The company lost the customer's trust - (その会社は顧客の信用を失った).

応用: "Application". The verbal noun '応用 (おうよう)' means 'application'. It refers to the use of something, especially knowledge or a skill, in practical situations. This word is commonly used to describe the practical implementation or utilization of something, such as applying scientific principles to technology or putting a language skill to use. For example: The application of AI technology - (AIテクノロジーの応用). This knowledge has many practical applications - (この知識にはさまざまな応用がある).

実用的: "Practical". The Japanese adjective '実用的 (じつようてき)' means 'practical'. This adjective describes something that is useful and suitable for a particular purpose. It can be used to describe objects, ideas, or methods that are functional and effective. For example: This tool is very practical - (この道具は非常に実用的です). My plan is practical - (私の計画は実用的です).

器用: "Deft" or "Skillful". The adjectival noun '器用 (きよう)' means 'deft' or 'skillful'. It describes someone who is highly skilled and capable at performing various tasks or activities with great ease and proficiency. For example: She is very deft at sewing - (彼女は縫製が器用だ). The deft carpenter constructed the furniture - (器用な大工が家具を作った).

用語: "Term". The Japanese noun '用語 (ようご)' means 'term'. It refers to a word or expression that is used within a specific field or context. Terms are often technical or specialized words that have a precise meaning within a particular discipline. For example: The legal term - (法律用語). Technical terms - (専門用語).

専用: "Dedicated". The noun '専用 (せんよう)' means 'dedicated'. It refers to something that is reserved, intended, or set apart for a particular purpose or use. For example: This parking space is dedicated - (この駐車スペースは専用です). The dedicated channel on the radio - (ラジオの専用チャンネル).

雇用: "Employment". The verbal noun '雇用 (こよう)' means 'employment'. This word refers to the act of hiring or engaging someone to work for a company or organization. It implies a contractual relationship between an employer and an employee. For example: Finding stable employment is important - (安定した雇用を見つけることが大切だ). The company has many open positions for employment - (その会社には雇用の空きが多数ある).

慣用句: "Idiom". The Japanese noun '慣用句 (かんようく)' refers to an idiomatic expression or fixed phrase that has a meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the individual words that make up the expression. Idioms are commonly used in Japanese and often add nuance, emphasis or a more natural way of expressing an idea. For example: It's raining cats and dogs - (犬猫降る) (inunekofu ru)

原稿用紙: "Manuscript paper". The Japanese noun '原稿用紙 (げんこうようし)' refers to sheets of paper specifically designed for writing manuscripts or drafts. It typically has pre-printed horizontal lines and a vertical line down the middle to help with formatting and structuring written content. This type of paper is commonly used in Japan for writing reports, essays, stories, or any other type of extended written work. For example: I wrote my essay on manuscript paper - (私はエッセイを原稿用紙に書きました).

通用: "Common use". The Japanese noun '通用 (つうよう)' means 'common use' or 'general acceptance'. It refers to something that is widely accepted, recognized or applicable. This word is often used to describe things that are commonly or widely used, valid or accepted, such as a form of payment, a language, or a set of rules. For example: This credit card is for common use - (この クレジットカードは 通用するです). This greeting is in common use - (この あいさつは 通用しているです).

用: "Use". The Japanese noun '用 (よう)' means 'use'. This word refers to the purpose or intended function of something. It can also mean 'need' or 'necessity'. For example: What is the use of this tool? - (この道具の用は何ですか). I have no use for this - (この物に用はない).

無用: "Useless" or "Unnecessary". The Japanese adjectival noun '無用 (むよう)' means 'useless' or 'unnecessary'. It is used to describe things that serve no purpose or have no practical value. This word often carries a nuance of contempt or dismissiveness towards the object being described. For example: That old computer is useless - (あの古いコンピューターは無用だ). His advice was unnecessary - (彼の助言は無用だった).

日用品: "Daily necessities". The noun '日用品 (にちようひん)' refers to everyday items or products that are used on a daily basis. This includes things like toiletries, cleaning supplies, kitchen utensils, and other household goods that are considered essential for daily life. '日用品' are the basic items people need to maintain their everyday lives and routines. For example: I need to buy some daily necessities from the store - (店で日用品を買う必要がある). The supermarket has a wide selection of daily necessities - (スーパーには日用品がたくさんある).

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).

実用: "Practicality". The noun '実用 (じつよう)' refers to the quality of being practical or useful. It implies a focus on functionality and real-world application rather than just theory or aesthetics. This word is often used to describe products, technologies or skills that are designed to serve a practical purpose in everyday life. For example: This tool has good practicality - (この道具は実用性が高い). The practicality of this design is impressive - (このデザインの実用性は素晴らしい).

不器用: "Clumsy" or "Awkward". The Japanese word '不器用 (ぶきよう)' can be used as an adjectival noun and means 'clumsy' or 'awkward'. It describes someone who lacks dexterity or coordination and has difficulty performing tasks skillfully. This word can be used to describe people who are accident-prone or generally unskilled at physical activities. For example: He is clumsy when playing sports - (彼はスポーツをする時不器用だ). She is an awkward dancer - (彼女は不器用なダンサーです).

適用: "Apply". The verbal noun '適用 (てきよう)' means 'to apply'. It refers to the act of putting something into operation or effect, such as applying a rule, principle, or theory to a specific case or situation. It can also mean to utilize, implement, or make use of something. For example: Apply the new policy - (新しい方針を適用する). The law is applied to this case - (この事例にその法律が適用される).

用例: "Example". The noun '用例 (ようれい)' means 'example'. This word refers to a specific case or instance that demonstrates or illustrates a general principle or rule. It is commonly used in educational and academic contexts to provide concrete instances that exemplify a larger concept. For example: The sample sentences are useful examples - (見本の文章は有用な用例です). These are good examples to follow - (これらは従うべき良い用例です).

用途: "Use". The Japanese noun '用途 (ようと)' means 'use'. This word refers to the intended purpose or application of something. It can be used to describe how an object, device, or service is meant to be utilized. For example: This tool has many uses - (この道具にはたくさんの用途がある). I'm not sure what the best use for this is - (これの用途が良く分からない).

筆記用具: "Writing utensil". The Japanese noun '筆記用具 (ひっきようぐ)' means 'writing utensil'. This refers to any tool or instrument used for writing, such as pens, pencils, markers, etc. It is a general term that encompasses all types of implements used for the purpose of writing. For example: The teacher provided the students with various writing utensils - (先生が生徒たちに筆記用具を準備してくれた). I packed my pencils and other writing utensils in my bag - (私は鉛筆やその他の筆記用具をかばんに入れた).

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 "よ" is read as "yo". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". The hiragana "も" is read as "mo". And The hiragana "ち" is read as "chi".

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.