Readings, stroke counts, common words, and example sentences for each character — focused on kanji you will meet at work.
168 kanji · JLPT N4
JLPT N4 kanji
Kanji 131–140
meat
今晩は肉を食べます。
こんばん は にく を たべます。
I will eat meat tonight.
💡 Picture a steaming bowl of food, and set 肉 inside that picture. The scene is the hook: bring it back and 肉 comes with it, meaning "meat".
sell
靴売り場は三階です。
くつ うりば は さんがい です。
The shoe department is on the third floor.
💡 Picture a coin, the money things are traded for: that is what 売 means — sell. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 士 (warrior / scholar) — a figure standing firm, shoulders held level above straight legs. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.
emit / depart
九時の新幹線で出発します。
くじ の しんかんせん で しゅっぱつ します。
I depart on the nine o'clock bullet train.
💡 Picture a crossroads with a person walking through it and a signboard at the corner, and set 発 inside that picture. The scene is the hook: bring it back and 発 comes with it, meaning "emit / depart".
cooked rice / meal
いっしょにご飯を食べませんか。
いっしょ に ごはん を たべません か。
Would you like to eat together?
💡 Picture a ripe stalk of grain: that is what 飯 means — cooked rice / meal. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 飠 (food / eat) — a bowl of food set at the left, and beside it 反 (opposite / turn over) — a hand reaching under an overhang to flip something over. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.
illness
病院は駅の隣にあります。
びょういん は えき の となり に あります。
The hospital is next to the station.
💡 Break 病 down and you get 疒 (illness) — someone lying on a bed, resting. Picture a person resting under a blanket in bed, put 病 inside it, and let that scene stand for "illness" — illness. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
goods
新しい製品が来月発売されます。
あたらしい せいひん が らいげつ はつばい されます。
A new product will go on sale next month.
💡 Break 品 down and you get 口 (mouth / opening) — an open mouth, or any opening. Picture an open mouth, put 品 inside it, and let that scene stand for "goods" — goods. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
not / un-
天気が不安定ですから、傘を持ちます。
てんき が ふあんてい です から、かさ を もちます。
The weather is unsettled, so I will take an umbrella.
💡 Break 不 down and you get 一 (one / a line) — a single line, the very first mark, and beside it 丿 (sweeping stroke) — a stroke sweeping down to the left. Picture tally marks counted off in groups of five, put 不 inside it, and let that scene stand for "not" — not / un-. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.
wind / style
台風で電車が止まりました。
たいふう で でんしゃ が とまりました。
The trains stopped because of the typhoon.
💡 Picture gusts of wind sweeping across: that is what 風 means — wind / style. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 虫 (insect) — a small insect with its round back. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.
clothes
新しい服を買いに行きます。
あたらしい ふく を かい に いきます。
I am going to buy new clothes.
💡 Picture clothing folded neatly into a stack: that is what 服 means — clothes. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 月 (moon / month) — the moon hanging in a clear night sky. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.
thing
重い荷物を持って駅まで歩きました。
おもい にもつ を もって えき まで あるきました。
I walked to the station carrying heavy luggage.
💡 Break 物 down and you get 牛 (cow / ox) — an ox with horns above its head. Picture a four-legged animal standing in profile, put 物 inside it, and let that scene stand for "thing" — thing. 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 N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final setRandomly selected from the full N4 kanji level, with four answer choices for every question.
Start final set