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Kanji
漢字を学ぼう
Your essential reference chart for 73 beginner kanji characters organized by category — numbers, time, people, nature, actions, places, and descriptors.
73 kanji
7 categories
Beginner
What is Kanji?
Kanji are characters borrowed from Chinese that represent words or ideas. Unlike hiragana and katakana (which represent sounds), each kanji carries meaning. Starting with common beginner kanji will help you read signs, menus, and everyday Japanese.
一ichione
二nitwo
三santhree
四shi / yonfour
五gofive
六rokusix
七shichi / nanaseven
八hachieight
九kyuu / kunine
十juuten
百hyakuhundred
千senthousand
万manten thousand
日nichi / hiday / sun
月getsu / tsukimonth / moon
年nen / toshiyear
時ji / tokitime / hour
分fun / bunminute / part
今kon / imanow
前zen / maebefore / front
後go / atoafter / behind
午gonoon
週shuuweek
How to Read Kanji
Most kanji have two types of readings: on'yomi (Chinese-derived, used in compounds) and kun'yomi (native Japanese, used alone). For example, 日 is read nichi in 日曜日 (nichiyōbi = Sunday) but hi when used alone to mean "day."
人jin / hitoperson
子shi / kochild
女jo / onnawoman
男dan / otokoman
友yuu / tomofriend
父fu / chichifather
母bo / hahamother
先sen / sakiprevious / ahead
生sei / ikirulife / birth
学gaku / manabustudy / learn
Compound Words
Kanji combine to form words: 先 (previous) + 生 (life) = 先生 (sensei = teacher). 学 (study) + 生 (life) = 学生 (gakusei = student). 友 (friend) + 人 (person) = 友人 (yuujin = friend).
山san / yamamountain
川sen / kawariver
水sui / mizuwater
火ka / hifire
木moku / kitree / wood
花ka / hanaflower
天ten / ameheaven / sky
気ki / kespirit / energy
雨u / amerain
空kuu / sorasky / empty
Days of the Week
The nature kanji double as days of the week! 日 (Sun) = 日曜日 Sunday, 月 (Moon) = 月曜日 Monday, 火 (Fire) = 火曜日 Tuesday, 水 (Water) = 水曜日 Wednesday, 木 (Tree) = 木曜日 Thursday.
食shoku / taberueat
飲in / nomudrink
見ken / mirusee / look
聞bun / kikuhear / ask
読doku / yomuread
書sho / kakuwrite
話wa / hanasuspeak / talk
行kou / ikugo
来rai / kurucome
出shutsu / deruexit / leave
国koku / kunicountry
店ten / miseshop / store
駅ekistation
校kouschool
家ka / iehouse / home
道dou / michiroad / way
町chou / machitown
外gai / sotooutside
中chuu / nakainside / middle
北hoku / kitanorth
大dai / ookiibig / large
小shou / chiisaismall / little
上jou / ueup / above
下ka / shitadown / below
左sa / hidarileft
右u / migiright
新shin / atarashiinew
古ko / furuiold
長chou / nagailong
白haku / shiroiwhite
Opposites Help Memory
Many kanji come in natural pairs: 大 (big) ↔ 小 (small), 上 (up) ↔ 下 (down), 左 (left) ↔ 右 (right), 新 (new) ↔ 古 (old), 前 (before) ↔ 後 (after). Learning them in pairs makes them easier to remember!
Hear every kanji out loud
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