Readings, stroke counts, common words, and example sentences for each character — focused on kanji you will meet at work.
205 kanji · JLPT N1
JLPT N1 kanji
Kanji 161–170
imitate / mock
実際の場面を擬似的に再現しました。
じっさい の ばめん を ぎじてき に さいげん しました。
We reproduced the real situation in simulated form.
💡 Break 擬 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Picture an open hand with the character resting in the palm, put 擬 inside it, and let that scene stand for "imitate" — imitate / mock. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
dare / bold
難しい課題に敢えて挑戦しました。
むずかしい かだい に あえて ちょうせん しました。
I deliberately took on the difficult task.
💡 Break 敢 down and you get 攵 (strike / action) — a hand raised to make something happen. Picture a hand with one finger extended, pointing, put 敢 inside it, and let that scene stand for "dare" — dare / bold. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
equal / together
合図で全員が一斉に立ち上がりました。
あいず で ぜんいん が いっせい に たちあがりました。
At the signal everyone stood up at once.
💡 Break 斉 down and you get 文 (writing / pattern) — marks written across a surface. Picture a document rolled into a scroll at both ends, put 斉 inside it, and let that scene stand for "equal" — equal / together. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
purification / room
書斎で静かに本を読んでいます。
しょさい で しずか に ほん を よんで います。
I am reading quietly in the study.
💡 Picture a house under its roof: that is what 斎 means — purification / room. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 斉 (even / uniform) — stalks of grain all cut level, none standing taller than the rest. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.
slash / novel
その発想はとても斬新でした。
その はっそう は とても ざんしん でした。
That idea was strikingly original.
💡 Break 斬 down and you get 車 (vehicle / wheel) — a cart seen from above, axle through the middle, and beside it 斤 (axe / weight) — a tool that splits a block apart. Picture a cart on its wheels, put 斬 inside it, and let that scene stand for "slash" — slash / novel. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
rotate / spiral
知人に仕事を斡旋してもらいました。
ちじん に しごと を あっせん して もらいました。
An acquaintance helped place me in a job.
💡 Picture gusts of wind sweeping across: that is what 旋 means — rotate / spiral. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 方 (direction / way) — a signpost with one arm pointing off. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.
rise
気温が上昇しています。
きおん が じょうしょう しています。
The temperature is rising.
💡 Break 昇 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun glowing with a warm halo at dusk, put 昇 inside it, and let that scene stand for "rise" — rise. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
crystal
砂糖が結晶化しました。
さとう が けっしょうか しました。
The sugar crystallized.
💡 Break 晶 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun half hidden behind a passing cloud, put 晶 inside it, and let that scene stand for "crystal" — crystal. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
dawn
暁の空が少しずつ明るくなりました。
あかつき の そら が すこしずつ あかるく なりました。
The dawn sky gradually grew brighter.
💡 Break 暁 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun sitting low behind a mountain ridge, put 暁 inside it, and let that scene stand for "dawn" — dawn. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
daybreak
曙の光が山の向こうに見えます。
あけぼの の ひかり が やま の むこう に みえます。
The light of daybreak can be seen beyond the mountains.
💡 Break 曙 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun sitting low behind a mountain ridge, put 曙 inside it, and let that scene stand for "daybreak" — daybreak. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
Full-level practice
Ten sets, fifty randomly selected questions in every set.
Randomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N1 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final set