Hover your mouse over a kanji in the table below, and a large version of the kanji will appear here.
Some general english tags describing the common use of the kanji will appear here.
Some example words will appear here.
常用漢字1年
day; sun; Japan

日    [ひ]            Sun, sunshine; Day

日食   [にっ.しょく]       Solar eclipse

日の出  [ひ.の.で]         Sunrise

日出   [にっ.しゅつ]       Sunrise

日の入り [ひ.の.い.り]       Sunset

日光   [にっ.こう]        Sunlight

日本   [に.ほん][にっ.ぽん]    Japan

日    [にち][か]         Counter: days

日々   [ひ.び]          Everyday; Daily; Day after day

明後日  [あさって][みょう.ご.にち] The day after tomorrow

誕生日  [たん.じょう.び]      Birthday

元日   [がん.じつ]        New Year's Day

曜日   [よう.び]         Day of the week

平日   [へい.じつ]        Weekday; Ordinary days

半日   [はん.にち]        Half day

年月日  [ねん.がっ.ぴ]       Date

日時   [にち.じ]         Date and time

日用品  [にち.よう.ひん]      Daily necessities

日記   [にっ.き]         Diary, journal

evening

夕  [ゆう]    Evening (also suffix)

夕食 [ゆう.しょく] Dinner

夕飯 [ゆう.はん]  Dinner

month; moon

月   [つき][げつ][がつ] Moon; Month

月光  [げっ.こう]    Moonlight; Moonbeam

月食  [げっ.しょく]   Lunar eclipse

月内  [げつ.ない]    By the end of this month

正月  [しょう.がつ]   New Year's

年月日 [ねん.がっ.ぴ]   Date

year

年   [とし][ねん]  Year

今年  [こ.とし]   This year

新年  [しん.ねん]  New year

お年玉 [お.とし.だま] New Year's present

光年  [こう.ねん]  Light year

万年  [まん.ねん]  10,000 years; Eternity

年月日 [ねん.がっ.ぴ] Date

少年  [しょう.ねん] Boys; Juveniles

fire

火  [ひ]   Fire, flame, blaze

火花 [ひ.ばな] Spark

花火 [はな.び] Fireworks

火器 [か.き]  Firearms, guns

火山 [か.ざん] Volcano

噴火 [ふん.か] (n, vs) Eruption

火星 [か.せい] Mars

person

人   [ひと][じん][にん]   Person, human, people

万人  [ばん.じん][ばん.にん] 10,000 people; All people, everybody

黒人  [こく.じん]      Black person

白人  [はく.じん]      White person

米人  [べい.じん]      American

土人  [ど.じん]       Natives, aborigines

主人公 [しゅ.じん.こう]    Protagonist, main character, hero(ine)

人形  [にん.ぎょう]     Doll, puppet; Figure

人権  [じん.けん]      Human rights; Civil liberties

eye; class; look; insight; experience; care; favor

目    [め]     Eye, eyeball, ... (also 眼)

目玉   [め.だま]  Eyeball

耳目   [じ.もく]  Ear and eye; One's attention, one's interest

目覚める [め.ざ.める] To wake up

woman; female

女  [おんな]   Woman, female

女性 [じょ.せい]  Woman

彼女 [かの.じょ]  She; Girlfriend, sweetheart

少女 [しょう.じょ] Daughter; Young lady; Virgin; Maiden; Little girl

child; sign of the rat; 11PM-1AM; first sign of Chinese zodiac

子   [こ]       (Also suffix) child

子供  [こ.ども]    Child, children

子弟  [し.てい]    Young(er) people

弟子  [で.し]     Pupil; Disciple; Follower; Teacher's helper; ...

太子  [たい.し]    Crown Prince

堕太子 [こう.たい.し]  Crown Prince

子牛  [こ.うし]    Calf (also 小牛)

電子  [でん.し]    Electron; Electronics; Electric (esp. as a prefix)

分子  [ぶん.し]    Numerator; Molecule

原子力 [げん.し.りょく] Atomic energy

お菓子 [お.か.し]    Confections, sweets, candy

辛子  [から.し]    Mustard

椅子  [い.す]     Chair

障子  [しょう.じ]   Paper sliding door

sentence; literature; style; art; decoration; figures; plan

文   [ぶん]     Sentence

文   [ふみ]     Letter, writings

文学  [ぶん.がく]  Literature

文科  [ぶん.か]   Literary course; The arts

頭文字 [かしら.も.じ] Initials; First letter of a word

文法  [ぶん.ぽう]  Grammar

文化  [ぶん.か]   Culture; Civilization

heavens; sky; imperial

天   [てん]     Heaven, sky

天国  [てん.ごく]  Paradise, heaven

天地  [てん.ち]   Heaven and earth; Top and bottom

天の川 [あま.の.がわ] Milky Way (also 天の河)

天井  [てん.じょう] Ceiling

天気  [てん.き]   Weather; The elements; Fine weather

晴天  [せい.てん]  Fine weather; A clear sky

楽天家 [らく.てん.か] Optimist; Easy-going person

天皇  [てん.のう]  Emperor of Japan

天災  [てん.さい]  Natural calamity, disaster

empty; sky; void; vacant; vacuum

空   [そら]     Sky

星空  [ほし.ぞら]  Starry sky

青空  [あお.ぞら]  Blue sky

空気  [くう.き]   Air, atmosphere

空港  [くう.こう]  Airport

空   [から]     Emptiness

空ける [あ.ける]   To empty (s.t.)

空く  [あ.く][す.く] (vi) To (become) open; To become empty; (開く, 明く)

空腹  [くう.ふく]  Hunger

spirit; mind

気  [き]   Spirit; Mood

元気 [げん.き] Health(y); robust; Vigor, energy; ...

色気 [いろ.け] Interest in opp. sex, sex appeal, desire, ...

電気 [でん.き] Electricity; Electric light

天気 [てん.き] Weather; The elements; Fine weather

空気 [くう.き] Air, atmosphere

rain

雨   [あめ]    Rain

雨垂れ [あま.だ.れ] Raindrops

風雨  [ふう.う]  Wind and rain

雨雲  [あま.ぐも] Rain cloud

water

水  [みず]   Water

水洗 [すい.せん] (n) Flushing

水死 [すい.し]  (n) Drowning

水玉 [みず.たま] Polkadot

mouth

口   [くち]     Mouth, orifice, opening

入口  [いり.ぐち]  Entrance, ... (also 入り口)

出口  [で.ぐち]   Exit, gateway, ...

戸口  [と.ぐち]   Door

口頭  [こう.とう]  Oral

口走る [くち.ばし.る] To speak / tell / blurt out

see; hopes; chances; idea; opinion; look at; visible

見る   [み.る]   To see / watch; To try (aux)

見える  [み.える]  To be seen / be in sight / be visible

花見   [はな.み]  (vs) Cherry blossom viewing

見物   [けん.ぶつ] (n, vs) Sightseeing

見出す  [みい.だ.す] To find out / discover

見当たる [み.あ.たる] To be found

見聞   [けん.ぶん] (n, vs) Information; Observation

形見   [かた.み]  Memento, souvenir

male

男  [おとこ]  Man, male

男性 [だん.せい] Man, male

character; letter; word; section of village

字    [じ]         Character; Handwriting

習字   [しゅう.じ]      Penmenship

常用漢字 [じょう.よう.かん.じ] Kanji for common use

数字   [すう.じ]       Numeral

点字   [てん.じ]       Braille

頭文字  [かしら.も.じ]    Initials; First letter of a word

名字   [みょう.じ]      Surname, family name (also 苗字)

字    [あざ]        (n, suffix) Section of a village

correct; justice; righteous; 10**40

正   [せい]    (Logical) true; Regular

正に  [まさ.に]   Correctly; Surely

正しい [ただ.しい]  Right, just, correct, truthful, proper, perfect

正す  [ただ.す]   To correct / adjust / reform / amend / ...

正座  [せい.ざ]   Sitting correctly (Japanese style)

正午  [しょう.ご]  Noon, mid-day

正月  [しょう.がつ] New Year's

tree; wood

木  [き]         Tree, wood, timber

草木 [くさ.き][そう.もく] Plants, vegetation

木炭 [もく.たん]     Charcoal

土木 [ど.ぼく]      Public works

bamboo

竹  [たけ]   Bamboo; Middle (of a 3-tier system)

竹林 [ちく.りん] Bamboo thicket

grass; weeds; herbs; pasture; write; draft

草  [くさ]        Grass

牧草 [ぼくそう]      Pasture, grass

草木 [くさ.き][そう.もく] Plants, vegetation

flower

花   [はな]    Flower, petal (also 華)

生け花 [い.け.ばな] Flower arrangement (also 生花)

花見  [はな.み]  (vs) Cherry blossom viewing

火花  [ひ.ばな]  Spark

花火  [はな.び]  Fireworks

stream; river

川   [かわ]     River, stream (also 河)

天の川 [あま.の.がわ] Milky Way (also 天の河)

hand

手    [て]      Hand

手首   [て.くび]    Wrist

お手洗い [お.て.あら.い] Toilet, restroom, lavatory; Hand-washing

手紙   [て.がみ]    Letter

手記   [しゅ.き]    Note, memorandum

手引き  [て.び.き]   Guidance, guide, introduction (Also 手引)

手引書  [て.びき.しょ] Handbook, manual, guide

切手   [きっ.て]    Postage stamp

小切手  [こ.ぎっ.て]  Cheque

手伝う  [て.つだ.う]  To help / assist / take part in

上手   [じょう.ず]   (n, na) Skill, skillful; Dexterity

下手   [へ.た]     Unskillful, poor, awkward

ear

耳  [みみ]  Ear; Hearing; Edge; Crust

耳目 [じ.もく] Ear and eye; One's attention, one's interest

rice field; rice paddy

田 [た] Rice field

study; learning; science

学    [がく]        Learning, scholarship, erudition, knowledge

学ぶ   [まな.ぶ]       To study (in depth) / take lessons in

学校   [がっ.こう]      School

夜学   [や.がく]       Evening course, night school

学園   [がく.えん]      Academy; Campus

大学院生 [だい.がく.いん.せい] Grad student

学卒   [がく.そつ]      College graduate

学科   [がっ.か]       Course of study, (school) subject

文学   [ぶん.がく]      Literature

考古学  [こう.こ.がく]    Archaeology

工学   [こう.がく]      Engineering

数学   [すう.がく]      Mathematics; Arithmetic

科学   [か.がく]       Science

社会科学 [しゃ.かい.か.がく]  Social science

自然科学 [し.ぜん.か.がく]   Natural Science

life; genuine; birth

生きる  [い.きる]       To live / exist

生活   [せい.かつ]      Living; One's daily existence; Livelihood

生える  [は.える]       To grow / spring up

生やす  [は.やす]       To grow / cultivate / wear a beard

誕生日  [たん.じょう.び]   Birthday

生け花  [い.け.ばな]     Flower arrangement (also 生花)

大学院生 [だい.がく.いん.せい] Grad student

先生   [せん.せい]      Teacher, doctor, master, ...

grove; forest

林  [はやし]  Woods, forest

森林 [しん.りん] Forest, woods

竹林 [ちく.りん] Bamboo thicket

circle; yen; round

円  [えん]   Yen, money; Circle

円い [まる.い]  Round, circular, spherical (also 丸い)

円形 [えん.けい] Round shape, circle; ...

gold

金  [かね]        Money, metal

お金 [お.かね]      Money

金  [きん]        Gold

黄金 [こ.がね][おう.ごん] Gold

金魚 [きん.ぎょ]     Goldfish

stone

石   [いし]    Stone

小石  [こ.いし]   Pebble

岩石  [がん.せき]  Rock

石頭  [いし.あたま] Inflexible person

石けん [せっ.けん]  Soap (also 石鹸 (rare kanji))

石   [こく]    Volume measure (~10 cubic feet)

mountain

山   [やま]   Mountain

火山  [か.ざん]  Volcano

富士山 [ふじ.さん] Mt. Fuji

小山  [こ.やま]  Hill, knoll

山猫  [やま.ねこ] Wildcat, lynx

leg; foot; be sufficient; counter for pairs of footwear

足   [あし]   Foot, leg; Pace, gait

足首  [あし.くび] Ankle

足る  [た.る]   To be sufficient, to be enough

足りる [た.りる]  To be sufficient, to be enough

足す  [た.す]   To add (numbers); To do (e.g. one's business)

sound; noise

音   [おん][おと]   (n, suffix) Sound, note

五十音 [ご.じゅう.おん] The Japanese syllabary

発音  [はつ.おん]   (n, vs) pronunciation

音読み [おん.よ.み]   On (CN) reading

音楽  [おん.がく]   Music, musical movement

power; strong; strain; bear up; exert

力   [ちから]     Force, strength, energy, ...

力   [りょく]     Suffix: strength, power

原子力 [げん.し.りょく] Atomic energy

exam; school; printing; proof; correction

学校 [がっ.こう]  School

高校 [こう.こう]  High school

校長 [こう.ちょう] Principal, headmaster

休校 [きゅう.こう] Closing school (temporarily); Dropping one's studies

name; noted; distinguished; reputation

名  [めい]   Prefix (common): Famous, noted

名  [な]    Name; Reputation

名前 [な.まえ]  Name

名字 [みょう.じ] Surname, family name (also 苗字)

名刺 [めい.し]  Business card

名詞 [めい.し]  Noun

仮名 [か.な]   Kana (usually kana)

forest; woods

森  [もり]   Forest

森林 [しん.りん] Forest, woods

book; present; main; true; real; counter for long things

本  [ほん]        Book; Main, head, this; ...; Counter: long, cyl.

本  [もと]        Origin, original

古本 [ふる.ほん]     Secondhand book; Ancient book

本棚 [ほん.だな]     Bookshelf

本当 [ほんとう]      Truth, reality

本心 [ほん.しん]     True feelings

日本 [に.ほん][にっ.ぽん] Japan

本州 [ほん.しゅう]    Honshu

king; rule; magnate

王 [おう] King, ruler, sovereign, monarch; Suffix: royal

jewel; ball

玉   [たま]     Ball; Sphere; Coin

水玉  [みず.たま]  Polkadot

珠玉  [しゅ.ぎょく] Gem, jewel

お年玉 [お.とし.だま] New Year's present

雪玉  [ゆき.だま]  Snowball

目玉  [め.だま]   Eyeball

soil; earth; ground; Turkey

土   [つち]   Earth, soil

土人  [ど.じん] Natives, aborigines

土木  [ど.ぼく] Public works

お土産 [おみやげ] Present, souvenir

one

一   [いち][ひと]    1

一週間 [いっ.しゅう.かん] One week

一番  [いち.ばん]    Best; First; #1

一門  [いち.もん]    Family, dependants, household, kin, clan

一晩中 [ひと.ばん.じゅう] All night long; All through the night

two

二 [に][ふた] 2

three

三   [さん][み]    3

三角  [さん.かく]   Triangle, triangular

三角形 [さん.かく.けい] Triangle

town; village

村 [むら] Village

village; town; block; street

町  [まち]   Town; Street, road

町角 [まち.かど] Street corner

early; fast

早   [はや]    Already; Now; By this time

早い  [はや.い]  Early

早く  [はや.く]  Early; Fast; Soon; Hurry! (also 速く)

お早う [お.はよ.う] Good morning

white

白い [しろ.い]   White

白人 [はく.じん]  White person

白米 [はく.まい]  White rice

白鳥 [はく.ちょう] Swan; White-feathered bird

黒白 [くろ.しろ]  Black and white; Right and wrong

shellfish

貝 [かい] Shellfish; Shell

left

左  [ひだり]   Left hand side

左側 [ひだり.がわ] Left (side)

right

右  [みぎ]   Right hand side

右側 [みぎ.がわ] Right (side)

four

四   [し][よん] 4

四角  [し.かく]  (na,n) Square

四角い [し.かくい] Square

四国  [し.こく]  Shikoku

five

五   [ご][いつ]    5

五十音 [ご.じゅう.おん] The Japanese syllabary

six

六 [ろく][む] 6

thread

糸 [いと] (n, suffix) Thread, yarn, string

car

車  [くるま]  Car, vehicle; Wheel

汽車 [き.しゃ]  Steam train

電車 [でん.しゃ] (Electric) train

列車 [れっ.しゃ] (Regular) train

large; big

大きい  [おお.きい]      Big, large; Great

多大   [た.だい]       Heavy; Much

強大   [きょう.だい]     (na) Mighty, powerful

大宇宙  [だい.う.ちゅう]   The universe

大さじ  [おお.さじ]      Tablespoon

大学院生 [だい.がく.いん.せい] Grad student

大工   [だい.く]       Carpenter

大丈夫  [だい.じょう.ぶ]   Safe; Alright; OK

blue; green

青い [あお.い]  Blue; Pale; Green; Unripe; Inexperienced

青空 [あお.ぞら] Blue sky

dog

犬 [いぬ] Dog

above; up

上   [かみ]    Top, head, upper part; A superior

上   [うえ]    Above, over, on top of; Surface; ...

上がる [あ.がる]   To rise, to go up (stative)

上る  [のぼ.る]   To rise, to go up (continuitive)

上げる [あ.げる]   To give; To raise; To praise; ...

上体  [じょう.たい] Upper part of the body

上手  [じょう.ず]  (n, na) Skill, skillful; Dexterity

before; ahead; previous; future; precedence

先  [さき][せん] (n, affix) Previous, prior, former; Point, tip, end, ...

先頭 [せん.とう] Head, lead, vanguard, first

先生 [せん.せい] Teacher, doctor, master, ...

seven

七 [しち][なな] 7

eight

八 [はち][や] 8

nine

九  [きゅう][く][ここの] 9

九州 [きゅう.しゅう]   Kyushu

stand up

立つ   [た.つ]    To stand

立ち去る [た.ち.さ.る] To leave / depart / take one's leave

国立   [こく.りつ]  National (e.g. park)

rest; day off; retire; sleep

休   [きゅう]    Rest, taking a day off, being absent, retire, sleep

休む  [やす.む]   To rest / have a break / take a day off / ...

休み  [やす.み]   Rest, recess, respite; Vacation, holiday, ...

お休み [お.やす.み]  "Good night"; Holiday, absence, rest

昼休み [ひる.やす.み] Lunch break, noon recess, ...

休止  [きゅう.し]  Pause; Cessation; Rest

休校  [きゅう.こう] Closing school (temporarily); Dropping one's studies

休まる [やす.まる]  To be rested, to feel at ease, to be relieved

休める [やす.める]  To rest / suspend / give relief

little; small

小さい [ちい.さい]    Small, little, tiny

小刀  [こ.がたな]    Small knife; Short sword

小石  [こ.いし]     Pebble

小山  [こ.やま]     Hill, knoll

小さじ [こ.さじ]     Teaspoon

小牛  [こ.うし]     Calf (also 子牛)

小数点 [しょう.すう.てん] Decimal point

小切手 [こ.ぎっ.て]    Cheque

red

赤い [あか.い]  Red

赤面 [せき.めん] (n) Blush

insect; bug; temper

虫  [むし]  Insect, bug

毛虫 [け.むし] Caterpillar

虫歯 [むし.ば] Cavity, tooth decay, decayed tooth

below; down; descend; give; low; inferior

下   [した]   Under, below, beneath

下る  [くだ.る]  To get down / descend (emph. descent)

下がる [さ.がる]  To hang down; To step back

下さる [くだ.さる] (aru) To give

下手  [へ.た]   Unskillful, poor, awkward

下戸  [げ.こ]   Non-drinker; Temperate person

in; inside; middle; mean; center

中   [なか]       Inside, middle, among

中央  [ちゅう.おう]   Centre, central, center, middle

夜中  [よ.なか]     Midnight, dead of night

一晩中 [ひと.ばん.じゅう] All night long; All through the night

間中  [あいだ.じゅう]  During

中古  [ちゅう.こ]    Used, secondhand; Old; Middle Ages

中国  [ちゅう.ごく]   China

ten

十   [じゅう][とお]  10

五十音 [ご.じゅう.おん] The Japanese syllabary

hundred

百 [ひゃく] 100

thousand

千 [せん] 1,000

enter; insert

入る   [はい.る]   (godan) To enter / enroll / ...

入る   [い.る]    (godan) To get in / go in / come in / ...

入れる  [い.れる]   To put in / take in / bring in / let in / ...

日の入り [ひ.の.い.り] Sunset

入口   [いり.ぐち]  Entrance, ... (also 入り口)

入門   [にゅう.もん] Primer, manual, introduction to

入浴   [にゅう.よく] (n,vs) Bathe, Bathing

exit; leave

出す   [だ.す]     To take out / get out / put out / ...

出掛ける [で.か.ける]  To depart / go out (to do s.t.) / set out / ...

出る   [で.る]     To appear / come forth / come out of / leave

日の出  [ひ.の.で]   Sunrise

日出   [にっ.しゅつ]  Sunrise

出口   [で.ぐち]    Exit, gateway, ...

引き出し [ひ.き.だ.し]  Drawer (Also 引出し)

見出す  [みい.だ.す]  To find out / discover

思い出す [おも.い.だ.す] To recall / remember

思い出  [おも.い.で]  Memories, ...

出血   [しゅっ.けつ]  (n, vs) Bleeding, haemorrhage


Much of the content in this page was derived from the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group's edict and kanjidic. This is in conformance with the licence.