Are you starting your journey to learn Japanese? These six kanji are essential building blocks for anyone preparing for the JLPT N5 level. In this blog, we break down the meanings, readings, and example usages of each character: 日、一、国、人、年、大.
🈷️ 日 (にち / ひ) – Sun, Day
- Meaning: Sun, Day
- Onyomi: ニチ、ジツ
- Kunyomi: ひ、か
- Example: 日曜日（にちようび）– Sunday
- Example: 毎日（まいにち）– Every day
➊ 一 (いち / ひと) – One
- Meaning: One
- Onyomi: イチ、イツ
- Kunyomi: ひと（つ）
- Example: 一人（ひとり）– One person
- Example: 一日（いちにち）– One day
🌏 国 (こく / くに) – Country
- Meaning: Country, Nation
- Onyomi: コク
- Kunyomi: くに
- Example: 中国（ちゅうごく）– China
- Example: 国（くに）– Country
👤 人 (じん / ひと) – Person
- Meaning: Person
- Onyomi: ジン、ニン
- Kunyomi: ひと
- Example: 日本人（にほんじん）– Japanese person
- Example: 人（ひと）– Person
📅 年 (ねん / とし) – Year
- Meaning: Year
- Onyomi: ネン
- Kunyomi: とし
- Example: 来年（らいねん）– Next year
- Example: 一年（いちねん）– One year
📏 大 (だい / おお) – Big, Large
- Meaning: Big, Large
- Onyomi: ダイ、タイ
- Kunyomi: おお（きい）
- Example: 大学（だいがく）– University
- Example: 大きい（おおきい）– Big
📚 Final Thoughts
Mastering these basic kanji is the first step toward fluency in Japanese. These characters appear in everyday words and expressions, making them crucial for reading and conversation. Practice writing and using them in context to solidify your knowledge for the JLPT N5 exam.