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1

What is Kanji?

A Visual Introduction
Mount Fuji Landscape
Kanji are characters originally created in China and adopted into Japanese. Unlike alphabetic scripts that represent sounds only, each kanji carries both a meaning and a sound.

A Brief History

Kanji are believed to have originated in China around 1,500 B.C. (over 3,000 years ago). They were later introduced to Japan via Korea more than 1,500 years ago. They began as drawings of real objects and natural forms. Over time, these drawings became simplified and stylized into the modern kanji used in Japanese today.
From Pictures to Kanji
Real Tree Original Picture
A real tree
➔
木
Ancient Form
Early drawing
➔
木
Modern Kanji
Today
木
き
Tree / Wood

Examples of Pictographic Kanji

Tree Sketch
木
き
Tree / Wood
Sun Sketch
日
ひ
Sun / Day
Dog Sketch
犬
いぬ
Dog
📖
How Many Kanji Are There?
  • In total, there are about 50,000 kanji in comprehensive dictionaries.
  • Around 3,000 kanji are commonly used in modern newspapers and media.
  • 1,945 kanji are designated as official Jōyō Kanji (regular-use standard).
  • 1,006 kanji are taught in Japanese elementary school (Kyōiku Kanji).
📰
How Often Are Kanji Used?
  • About 99% of kanji used in print media are Jōyō Kanji.
  • The top 500 kanji account for about 80% of daily newspaper texts.
  • The top 1,000 kanji account for over 90% of everyday reading material.
🌐
How Kanji Reached Japan

Kanji were introduced to Japan from China over 1,500 years ago (around the 4th–5th centuries A.D.).

At that time, Japan had a rich spoken language but no native writing system. Chinese characters were adopted to write Japanese sounds and concepts.

💡 Remember This
Kanji are logograms: each character conveys a visual idea and a sound. You are not memorizing random lines; you are learning symbols that evolved from real-world pictures!
2

History of Kanji

The Four Modern Scripts & Historical Transmission
Modern Japanese sentences do not rely on Kanji alone. Today, written Japanese seamlessly weaves together four distinct scripts, each with its own special purpose.

The Four Writing Scripts of Modern Japanese

1. 漢字 (Kanji)

Role: Core vocabulary, nouns, and roots of verbs and adjectives.

Example: 本 (ほん · book), 行く (いく · to go)

2. ひらがな (Hiragana)

Role: Grammatical endings (okurigana), verb conjugations, and native particles.

Example: 〜です, 〜を, 〜に行きます

3. カタカナ (Katakana)

Role: Foreign loanwords, foreign names, scientific terms, and On-yomi readings.

Example: パン (bread), コーヒー (coffee)

4. Roman Alphabet (ローマ字)

Used in Japan primarily for international brand names, acronyms (JLPT, CD, DVD), train station signage for tourists, and computer keyboard input.

💡 Remember This
Kanji gives meaning at a glance, Hiragana glues the grammar together, and Katakana brings in the modern outside world. Together they make Japanese clean and rapid to read!
3

Pictograms (象形文字)

Sketches of Physical Objects and Animals
Pictograms are characters created by drawing the physical outlines of real objects, celestial bodies, terrain, and animals. They form the visual foundation of Japanese writing.

Core Pictogram Evolution

木 (Tree / Wood) Physical Tree 木 Modern Kanji 日 (Sun / Day) Radiant Sun 日 Modern Kanji 犬 (Dog) Alert Dog 犬 Modern Kanji
Tree
木
き
Tree / Wood
Sun
日
ひ
Sun / Day
Dog
犬
いぬ
Dog
💡 Remember This
Although pictograms make up only a small percentage of all Kanji, they serve as the indispensable "building blocks" (radicals) for hundreds of more complex characters!
4

Simple Ideograms (指事文字)

Depicting Abstract Concepts with Points and Lines
How do you draw an invisible idea like "above", "below", or the number "three"? Ancient creators used dots, lines, and positional marks to represent abstract concepts.
三
さん
Three

Three horizontal strokes representing the count of three.

上
うえ
Up / Above

A mark positioned above a horizontal baseline indicator.

中
なか
Inside / Middle

A straight line piercing directly through the center of a target box.

💡 Remember This
Simple ideograms are visual schematics of pure geometric relationships: counting lines (一, 二, 三) and positions (上, 下, 中).
5

Compound Ideograms (会意文字)

Fusing Two Characters into a New Meaning
Compound Ideograms combine two or more independent Kanji together to create a brand-new concept. The meanings of the individual parts cooperate to tell a logical visual story.
Tree 木 + Tree 木 ➔ Forest 林 Compound Ideogram (会意文字)
Forest Sketch

When two trees stand beside each other, they form a pleasant grove: 林 (はやし · grove).

Sun 日 + Moon 月 ➔ Bright 明 Compound Ideogram (会意文字)
Bright Sketch

Uniting the two brightest lights in the sky—the sun (日) and the moon (月)—creates pure brilliance: 明 (あかるい · bright).

Simple Ideograms (指事文字: Abstract Dots & Lines) Three (三) — 3 Strokes 三 Parallel Count Lines Up; Above (上) 上 Baseline + Point Above Compound Ideograms (会意文字: 2+ Combined Kanji) 木 (tree) ＋ 木 (tree) 林 はやし (Grove) Two trees side-by-side Combines into a forest 日 (sun) ＋ 月 (moon) 明 あかるい (Bright) Celestial lights united Sun & moon bring clarity
💡 Remember This
Compound ideograms are poetic math: Tree + Tree = Grove (林), and Sun + Moon = Bright (明).
6

Phono-Semantic Characters (形声文字)

Meaning Part + Sound Part (Over 80% of All Kanji!)
This is the single most powerful secret in learning Kanji: over 80% of all Japanese characters belong to this systematic type! One half tells you what the character means, and the other half tells you how to pronounce it.

The Formula: Radical (Meaning) + Phonophore (Sound)

Time Sketch

Deep Dive: The 寺 (JI) Family

The character 寺 (Buddhist Temple) is pronounced ジ (On-yomi). When it serves as the sound part:

  • • 日 (Sun) + 寺 (Sound: JI) ➔ 時 (Time / Hour) · On-yomi: ジ
  • • 扌 (Hand) + 寺 (Sound: JI) ➔ 持 (To Hold) · On-yomi: ジ
  • • 言 (Words) + 寺 (Sound: JI➔SHI) ➔ 詩 (Poem) · On-yomi: シ
Phonetic-Ideographic Architecture (形声文字 — 80%+ of All Kanji) Formula: [Meaning Part / Radical] + [Sound Part / Phonetic Element] = Target Kanji (Shared On-yomi) SHARED SOUND PART 寺 音読み: ジ Buddhist Temple 日 (sun/time) + 寺 (ジ) ➔ 時 日 Meaning + 寺 音: ジ 時 時 (じかん / とき · Time, Hour) On-yomi: ジ (Exact Match) 扌 (hand) + 寺 (ジ) ➔ 持 扌 Meaning + 寺 音: ジ 持 持 (もつ · To hold / possess) On-yomi: ジ (Exact Match)
💡 Remember This
When you see a complex Kanji, look for its familiar sub-parts. If you recognize the sound part, you can often deduce its On-yomi pronunciation on the spot!
7

Radicals (部首 - Bushu)

The Seven Positional Types Across the Character Grid
Every Kanji has a main semantic anchor called its Radical (部首). Radicals always occupy specific spatial positions inside the square bounding box.
The Seven Radical Positional Archetypes (部首の7つの位置) ① 偏 (へん) Left Side Examples: 体 · 校 · 話 泳 · 持 · 語 Most Common ② 旁 (つくり) Right Side Examples: 別 · 都 · 頭 割 · 歌 · 飲 ③ 冠 (かんむり) Top / Crown Examples: 字 · 今 · 答 花 · 安 · 空 ④ 脚 (あし) Bottom / Legs Examples: 見 · 買 · 然 点 · 兄 · 元 ⑤ 構え (かまえ) Enclosure Examples: 国 · 聞 · 医 回 · 門 · 凶 ⑥ 垂れ (たれ) Upper-Left Draped Examples: 広 · 病 · 屋 店 · 席 · 度 ⑦ 繞 (にょう) Lower-Left Cradle Examples: 道 · 建 · 起 通 · 遠 · 近
💡 Remember This
Recognizing the 7 radical locations (Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Enclosure, Upper-Left, Lower-Left) makes dictionary lookup and stroke order effortless!
8

Kanji Readings

On-yomi (Chinese) vs. Kun-yomi (Japanese)
Why does a single Kanji have multiple readings? Because ancient Japanese borrowed the Chinese character pronunciation (On-yomi) while also attaching their own native spoken Japanese word (Kun-yomi) to the same symbol!

音読み (On-yomi · Chinese Reading)

The pronunciation borrowed from Chinese centuries ago. Used primarily when Kanji are paired together in multi-character compound words (熟語).

Convention: Always written in KATAKANA (e.g. ジン, ニン for 人).

訓読み (Kun-yomi · Native Japanese Reading)

The native Japanese word attached to the character. Used primarily when a character stands alone as an independent noun or with verb/adjective okurigana.

Convention: Always written in HIRAGANA (e.g. ひと for 人).

Example Walkthrough: Character 「人」 (Person)

• Standing alone: 人 ➔ Read as Kun-yomi: ひと (person)
• In nationality compound: 日本人 ➔ Read as On-yomi: にほんじん (Japanese person)
• In counting people: 三人 ➔ Read as On-yomi: さんにん (three people)

💡 Remember This
Quick rule of thumb: When a Kanji is all by itself, use its Kun-yomi (Hiragana). When it is joined with another Kanji in a compound, use its On-yomi (Katakana)!
9

Stroke Directions & Endings

Stop (止め), Sweep (はらい), and Hook (はね)
Every brush and pen stroke terminates in one of three canonical ways. Knowing whether to stop firmly, sweep out, or hook upward gives your characters authentic balance.
Stroke Endings Sketch
1. 止め (Tome · Stop): The pen halts cleanly with steady pressure. Creates a solid blunt finish (e.g. horizontal stroke of 土).
2. はらい (Harai · Sweep): The pen gradually eases off pressure, tapering into a graceful feathered tip (e.g. sweeping legs of 人).
3. はね (Hane · Hook): The pen briefly pauses to gather ink force, then snaps sharply upward into a crisp hook (e.g. hook of 月).
Basic Stroke Directions (運筆方向) ① Horizontal Strokes (横画) Left to Right (左 ➔ 右) ② Vertical Strokes (縦画) Top to Bottom (上 ➔ 下) The Three Fundamental Stroke Endings (3大終筆) ① Stop (止め) Clean Firm Halt 土 Pen stops firmly ② Sweep (はらい) Feathered Sweep 人 Gradual release ③ Hook (はね) Sharp Hook Flick 月 Pause & snap up
💡 Remember This
Never drag or flick strokes randomly: deliberate stops, controlled sweeps, and crisp hooks define Japanese calligraphy.
10

Stroke Order Rules

The Six Universal Axioms of Writing Japanese
Stroke order is not arbitrary etiquette: it evolved naturally over millennia of brush movement. Following the rules ensures your characters look balanced and prevents miscounting strokes!
The Six Fundamental Stroke Order Axioms (書き順の6つの基本原則) ① 上から下へ Top to Bottom 三 Step 1: 一 (top) Step 2: 二 (mid) Step 3: 三 (base) Horizontal cascade ② 左から右へ Left to Right 川 Step 1: 丿 (left) Step 2: 丨 (mid) Step 3: 川 (right) Vertical cascade ③ 横が先 Horiz Before Vert 十 Step 1: 一 (bar) Step 2: 十 (cross) Crossbar first ④ 中が先 Center Before Sides 小 Step 1: 亅 (mid) Step 2: 丶 (left) Step 3: 小 (right) Pillar then wings ⑤ 外が先・下最後 Close Enclosure Last 回 1. Outer frame 2. Inside items 3. Seal bottom Fill before sealing ⑥ 貫く線は最後 Piercing Stroke Last 中 Step 1: 口 (box) Step 2: 中 (skewer) Skewer at the end
💡 Remember This
Always write: Top to bottom, Left to right, Horizontal before vertical, and Fill the box before you close it!
11

Font Variations

Textbook, Serif, Sans, and Handwriting Styles
Just like English letters look different in printed books versus cursive handwriting, Kanji forms vary depending on the typeface. Knowing these variations prevents confusion when reading signs, menus, or handwriting.
Character & Diagnostic Trait Textbook (教科書体) Minchō Serif (明朝体) Gothic Sans (ゴシック体) Handwriting (手書き)
道 (Road · curvature of 辶) 道 道 道 道
北 (North · upward stroke 3 flick) 北 北 北 北
長 (Long · parallel horizontal teeth) 長 長 長 長
入 (Enter · right stroke extends higher) 入 入 入 入
心 (Heart · floating dots vs connected loops) 心 心 心 心
⚠ Critical Lookalike Warning (人 vs. 入):
In 人 (Person), the left stroke starts at the highest apex.
In 入 (Enter), the right sweeping stroke starts higher and covers over the top of the left stroke!
💡 Remember This
Always learn using standard Textbook style (教科書体) first. It displays stroke stops and hooks exactly as you should write them by hand!
12

Using Kanji Dictionaries

The Three Canonical Lookup Strategies
When encountering an unknown character in Japan, how do you find its definition? Kanji dictionaries provide three standard methods: by Reading, by Radical, or by Total Stroke Count.
Kanji Dictionary Lookup (漢字の辞書の使い方: Target Character 「姓」) 姓 せい Surname 8 Strokes Total ① 読み方から調べる Search by Reading 1. Deduce reading セイ from 生 2. Open Reading Index at 「せ」 3. Locate 姓 under セイ list ② 部首から調べる Search by Radical 1. Radical is 女 (on'na-hen, 3画) 2. Open 3-stroke radical index 3. Scan remaining 5 strokes ➔ 姓 ③ 画数から調べる Search by Stroke Count 1. Count total strokes: 8画 2. Open 8-Stroke Master Index 3. Scan 8-stroke list ➔ 姓

Demonstration on Target Character 「姓」 (Surname)

• Method 1: By Reading (音訓索引): If you know it is read as セイ, look under the "SE" section in the reading index.
• Method 2: By Radical (部首索引): Identify the radical on the left: 女 (3 strokes). Turn to the 3-stroke radical section, count the remaining strokes in 生 (5 strokes), and find the entry!
• Method 3: By Total Strokes (総画索引): Count all 8 strokes. Look up the 8-stroke index to find 姓.

💡 Remember This
The Radical method is the fastest way to look up unfamiliar Kanji when you have no idea how the character is pronounced!
13

Okurigana (送り仮名)

Kana Attached to Kanji Stems for Verb and Adjective Inflection
Okurigana are Hiragana written directly after a Kanji stem. While the Kanji character represents the unchanging root idea, the okurigana changes to show tense, politeness, and negation.

Verbs (動詞)

• 行く (いく · to go) ➔ Negative: 行かない (いかない · to not go)
• 食べる (たべる · to eat) ➔ Negative: 食べない (たべない · to not eat)

Reading Boundary: In 食べる, the Kanji represents た, while べる is okurigana. In 食べます, okurigana extends to べます.

Adjectives (形容詞)

• 大きい (おおきい · big) ➔ Negative: 大きくない (おおきくない · not big)
• 長い (ながい · long) ➔ Negative: 長くない (ながくない · not long)

Reading Boundary: In 大きい, the Kanji represents おお(きい). The root stays fixed while the ending inflects.
💡 Remember This
When learning verbs and adjectives, always memorize where the character ends and the okurigana begins!
14

Reading Unfamiliar Kanji

Sound Clues and the Four Jukugo Compound Types
When you see a Kanji compound you have never studied before, you can often make an educated guess by identifying the compound's structure.

Sound Component Clues

• 生, 姓, 性, 星 ➔ All share the sound: セイ (On-yomi)
• 寺, 時, 持, 侍 ➔ All share the sound: ジ (On-yomi)
• 青, 晴, 静, 精 ➔ All share the sound: セイ (On-yomi)

The 4 Compound Combinations

• On + On (~80%): 音楽 (おんがく · music), 学校 (がっこう · school)
• Kun + Kun: 名前 (なまえ · name), 手紙 (てがみ · letter)
• On + Kun: 本屋 (ほんや · bookstore), 駅前 (えきまえ · station front)
• Kun + On: 場所 (ばしょ · place), 古本 (ふるほん · used book)

💡 Remember This
Most two-character words are On + On. If you know the Chinese readings of both characters, you can read the word!
15

Sound Changes in Compounds

Rendaku (Voicing) and Sokuon (Small Tsu)
When two separate Japanese words are joined together into a compound, the boundary sounds often shift to make the word easier and smoother to say.
Phonetic Shifts in Compounds (熟語の中での音の変化: Rendaku & Sokuon) ① 連濁 (Rendaku · Shifting to Voiced Sounds `゛`) Non-initial consonant voices: か➔が, つ➔づ, さ➔ざ, は➔ば 旅行 ＋ 会社 りょこう ＋ かいしゃ 旅行会社 りょこうがいしゃ 勉強 ＋ 机 べんきょう ＋ つくえ 勉強机 べんきょうづくえ ② 促音化 (Sokuon · Shifting to Small `っ`) Final syllable (~つ, ~く, ~き) collapses into geminate `っ` 百 ＋ 回 ひゃく ＋ かい 百回 ひゃっかい 別 ＋ 世界 べつ ＋ せかい 別世界 べっせかい

1. 連濁 (Rendaku · Sequential Voicing)

The starting unvoiced consonant of the second word becomes voiced (adds dakuten):
• 旅行 (りょこう) + 会社 (かいしゃ) ➔ 旅行会社 (りょこうがいしゃ · travel agency)
• 勉強 (べんきょう) + 机 (つくえ) ➔ 勉強机 (べんきょうづくえ · study desk)

2. 促音 (Sokuon · Small Tsu Pause)

A syllable contracts into a sharp pause (small っ) before a hard consonant:
• 百 (ひゃく) + 回 (かい) ➔ 百回 (ひゃっかい · 100 times)
• 別 (べつ) + 世界 (せかい) ➔ 別世界 (べっせかい · another world)

💡 Remember This
These sound shifts happen naturally for vocal smoothness. Don't be surprised when a "k" turns into a "g", or a "tsu" turns into a double consonant!
16

The 16 Key Kanji Parts (A to P)

The Essential Subunits Found Across Hundreds of Characters
Instead of memorizing hundreds of complex characters stroke-by-stroke, master these 16 recurring key parts (A through P). Together they appear in over 150 essential beginner Kanji!
Part A. Knife 2 Strokes
Glyph: 刂 · 刀 / 刂 (りっとう) · 旁 (Right)
Origin: A sharp cutting knife or cleaver blade
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
前 (40) · 別 (293) · 利 (376) · 側 (412)
Part B. Person 2 Strokes
Glyph: 亻 · 人 / 亻 (にんべん) · 偏 (Left)
Origin: Profile of a standing person with tilted head and upright body
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
何 (57) · 休 (113) · 夜 (138) · 体 (142) · 化 (151) · 花 (152) · 作 (174) · 住 (205) · 宿 (218) · 低 (232) · 使 (245) · 働 (268) · 仕 (271) · 借 (277) · 代 (278) · 貸 (279) · 便 (303) · 付 (331) · 個 (336) · 荷 (373) · 係 (397) · 側 (412) · 供 (421) · 億 (440) · 倍 (445) · 他 (448) · 信 (484) · 伝 (510)
Part C. Human Legs 2 Strokes
Glyph: 儿 · 儿 / ル (ひとあし) · 脚 (Bottom)
Origin: A pair of human legs walking or standing forward
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
先 (56) · 見 (65) · 元 (87) · 院 (112) · 売 (118) · 読 (119) · 勉 (122) · 晩 (137) · 親 (196) · 兄 (197) · 説 (224) · 光 (239) · 洗 (247) · 発 (314) · 焼 (333) · 覚 (353) · 党 (400) · 続 (455)
Part D. Street 3 Strokes
Glyph: 彳 · 彳 (ぎょうにんべん) · 偏 (Left)
Origin: Left bank of a crossroads intersection; walking along a road
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
後 (41) · 行 (66) · 待 (78) · 徒 (360) · 復 (362) · 役 (366) · 彼 (368) · 律 (394)
Part E. Enclosure 3 Strokes
Glyph: 囗 · 囗 / 匚 / 冂 (くにがまえ) · 構 (Enclosure)
Origin: A perimeter wall enclosing a city, territory, or pen
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
四 (4) · 国 (64) · 図 (273) · 回 (284) · 固 (335) · 個 (336) · 困 (346) · 園 (408)
Part F. Road 3 Strokes
Glyph: 辶 · 辶 / ⻌ (しんにょう) · 繞 (Lower Left)
Origin: A foot moving forward along a winding path
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
週 (80) · 道 (144) · 遠 (225) · 近 (226) · 運 (241) · 送 (246) · 通 (319) · 進 (320) · 違 (365) · 遊 (401) · 込 (409) · 連 (410) · 選 (458) · 過 (462) · 速 (469) · 遅 (470) · 達 (492)
Part G. House 3 Strokes
Glyph: 宀 · 宀 (うかんむり) · 冠 (Top)
Origin: A roof with a center chimney ridge covering a homestead
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
安 (84) · 院 (112) · 空 (149) · 家 (193) · 室 (210) · 字 (214) · 宿 (218) · 寒 (229) · 究 (262) · 官 (274) · 館 (275) · 定 (356) · 寝 (379) · 宅 (383) · 窓 (411) · 守 (461) · 案 (489)
Part H. Roof 3 Strokes
Glyph: 广 · 广 / ⼴ (まだれ) · 垂 (Upper Left)
Origin: A lean-to shed or building erected beside a cliff face
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
広 (91) · 店 (109) · 度 (283) · 座 (474) · 席 (475)
Part I. Hand 3 Strokes
Glyph: 扌 · 扌 (てへん) · 偏 (Left)
Origin: An outstretched hand with distinct grasping fingers
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
持 (126) · 押 (251) · 授 (359) · 払 (377) · 招 (432) · 投 (457) · 拾 (499) · 捨 (500)
Part J. Water 3 Strokes
Glyph: 氵 · 氵 (さんずい) · 偏 (Left)
Origin: Three splashing drops of water spattering outward
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
海 (150) · 洋 (190) · 漢 (213) · 洗 (247) · 注 (287) · 池 (313) · 汚 (325) · 酒 (329) · 消 (334) · 泣 (338) · 決 (355) · 濯 (378) · 活 (381) · 治 (390) · 清 (392) · 法 (393) · 泳 (402) · 涼 (405) · 泊 (472) · 港 (478)
Part K. Grass 3 Strokes
Glyph: 艹 · 艹 (くさかんむり) · 冠 (Top)
Origin: Two sprouting blades of green grass pushing up from soil
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
花 (152) · 茶 (169) · 菜 (172) · 漢 (213) · 英 (221) · 薬 (267) · 苦 (342) · 荷 (373) · 葉 (413) · 若 (423) · 夢 (463)
Part L. Heart 3 Strokes
Glyph: 忄 · 忄 / 心 (りっしんべん) · 偏 (Left)
Origin: The anatomical heart showing chambers and lifeblood
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
情 (352) · 性 (431)
Part M. Altar 4 Strokes
Glyph: 礻 · 礻 / 示 (しめすへん) · 偏 (Left)
Origin: An ancient stone altar offering prayers to deities
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
社 (107) · 祖 (429) · 神 (482)
Part N. Fire 4 Strokes
Glyph: 灬 · 灬 / 火 (れんが・れっか) · 脚 (Bottom)
Origin: Four licking flames of campfire burning under a vessel
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
黒 (157) · 魚 (159) · 熱 (322) · 点 (441) · 無 (512)
Part O. Sickness 5 Strokes
Glyph: 疒 · 疒 (やまいだれ) · 垂 (Upper Left)
Origin: A sick person lying prostrate upon a wooden bed
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
病 (111) · 痛 (343) · 疲 (403)
Part P. Rice Plant 5 Strokes
Glyph: 禾 · 禾 (のぎへん) · 偏 (Left)
Origin: A stalk of grain bending under the heavy weight of ripe rice
Example Kanji (Entry No.):
秋 (131) · 私 (201) · 利 (376) · 和 (386)
💡 Congratulations!
You have completed the entire Kanji Basics foundation! You now understand what Kanji are, how they evolved, and how to decode them with confidence. Head over to Kanji Cards or Quiz & Practice to test your mastery!
🌸 おすすめの学習順序 • RECOMMENDED STUDY PATH Follow this proven 7-stage learning journey from foundations to full JLPT fluency:
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JLPT N4 読解どっかい Dokkai Studio PASSAGE 01 • SHORT STORY

Reading Comprehension (読解どっかい)

Master authentic JLPT reading comprehension with calibrated Washi typography (68ch line measure, 2.15 ruby line-height), interactive furigana & romaji controls, synchronized in-place vocabulary annotations, and 5 video-grade comprehension drills.

📝 短文たんぶん・日常にちじょうメモ ⏱️ ~2 Min Read 🏷️ JLPT N5
01 / 16
PASSAGE 01 • SHORT STORY (短文) — DAILY LIFE & CHANGE OF PLANS

田中たなかさんの予定よていと一日いちにち

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田中たなかさんは、今日きょうの午後ごご、友達ともだちと図書館としょかんへ行いって勉強べんきょうする予定よていでした。しかし、今朝けさ、友達ともだちから「風邪かぜをひいたので、行いけなくなりました」という連絡れんらくがありました。そのため、田中たなかさんは一人ひとりで駅えきの近ちかくの喫茶店きっさてんへ行いくことにしました。

ROMAJI ①Tanaka-san wa, kyō no gogo, tomodachi to toshokan e itte benkyō suru yotei deshita. Shikashi, kesa, tomodachi kara "kaze o hiita node, ikenaku narimashita" to iu renraku ga arimashita. Sono tame, Tanaka-san wa hitori de eki no chikaku no kissaten e iku koto ni shimashita.
ENGLISH ①Tanaka had planned to go to the library and study with a friend this afternoon. However, this morning, there was a message from the friend saying, "Because I caught a cold, I have become unable to go." For that reason, Tanaka decided to go alone to a café near the station.

喫茶店きっさてんでおいしいコーヒーを飲のみながら、漢字かんじの勉強べんきょうを二時間にじかんくらいしました。それから、家うちへ帰かえる前まえにスーパーに寄よって、晩ばんご飯はんの材料ざいりょうを買かいました。予定よていは変かわりましたが、静しずかでいい一日いちにちになりました。

ROMAJI ②Kissaten de oishii kōhī o nominagara, kanji no benkyō o nijikan kurai shimashita. Sorekara, uchi e kaeru mae ni sūpā ni yotte, bangohan no zairyō o kaimashita. Yotei wa kawarimashita ga, shizuka de ii ichinichi ni narimashita.
ENGLISH ②While drinking delicious coffee at the café, Tanaka studied kanji for about two hours. After that, before returning home, Tanaka stopped by the supermarket and bought ingredients for dinner. Although the plans changed, it turned into a quiet and good day.
TERM 01 / 10
予定よてい yotei N5
plan; schedule (Verb dict + 予定でした = had planned to)
問1 • REASON (理由) JLPT N4 Drill Question 1 of 5
Questions:
田中たなかさんはどうして一人ひとりで喫茶店きっさてんへ行いきましたか。
Tanaka-san wa dōshite hitori de kissaten e ikimashita ka?
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JLPT N5 / N4 🗂️ Visual Mnemonics Deck

Kanji Cards Deck

Explore foundational Kanji with visual mnemonics, stroke orders, readings, and authentic book vocabulary.

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JLPT N5 / N4 Interactive Flashcards 320 Cards

Flashcard Study Mode (単語カード)

Flip through foundational Kanji cards, test recall of on/kun readings and vocabulary compounds, and track bookmarks with keyboard shortcuts.

CARD 1 OF 320
JLPT N5 3 Strokes · Radical: 一
一
One
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一 Readings & Compounds 3 Strokes
On-yomi (音 • Katakana):
イチ, イツ
Kun-yomi (訓 • Hiragana):
ひと-, ひとつ
Radical: 一 Strokes: 1
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JLPT N4 📝 Official 2024 July Paper PAPER 01

JLPT N4 2024年7月 本試験問題

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日本語能力試験 N5 模擬問題冊子
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