Today we are going to see the 150 most used kanji in the Japanese language. I cannot say how this research was carried out, but I confirm its veracity.
Can you recognize and understand all the kanji on the list? Can you remember everyday words that use the kanji in the list below?
There may be an error, or the translation may not make sense, because it all depends on the context or other kanji that form the words. A kanji cannot be merely translated or given meaning.
We also recommend reading:
- 250 Japanese Female Names with Meanings
- See how to write your name in Kanji – Ideograms!
- The similar-looking ideograms and kanji
List of Most Used Kanji in Japanese
Below is a list of the most used ideograms in Japanese ordered by ranking:
| Ranking | traits | Kanji | On-Yomi | Kun-Yomi | Portuguese |
| 1 | 4 | 日 | NICHI/ SHITSU | hi/ -bi/ -ka | day, sun, japan |
| 2 | 1 | 一 | ICHI/ ITSU | hito-/ hito(tsu) | one |
| 3 | 2 | 十 | JUU/ JIT-/ JUT- | too/ to | ten |
| 4 | 2 | 二 | NI/ JI | futa/ futa(tsu)/ futata(bi) | two |
| 5 | 3 | 大 | DAI / TAI | oo-/ oo(kii)/ -oo(ini) | big, huge |
| 6 | 3 | 三 | SAN/ ZOU | mi/ mi(tsu)/ mit-(tsu) | three |
| 7 | 9 | 係 | KEI | kaka(ru)/ kakari/ -gakari/ kaka(waru) | person in charge, connection, duty, self-interest |
| 8 | 6 | 会 | KAI/ E | a(u)/ a(waseru)/ atsu(maru) | meeting, party, association, interview, unite |
| 9 | 8 | 国 | KOKU | kuni | country, land, nation |
| 10 | 6 | 年 | NEN | toshi | ano |
| 11 | 4 | 中 | CHUU | naka/ uchi/ ata(ru) | in, interior, medium, middle, center |
| 12 | 5 | 本 | HON | moto | book, present, real, true, main, suffix for counting long things |
| 13 | 4 | 五 | GO | itsu/ itsu(tsu) | five |
| 14 | 5 | 四 | SHI | yo/ yo(tsu)/ yot-(tsu)/ yon | four |
| 15 | 5 | 出 | SHUTSU/ SUI | de(ru)/ -de/ da(su)/ -da(su)/ i(deru)/ i(dasu) | exit, leave |
| 16 | 3 | 上 | JOU/ SHOU/ SHAN | única/ -única/ uwa-/ kami/ a(geru)/ -a(geru)/ a(garu)/ -a(garu)/ a(gari)/ -a(gari)/ nobo(ru)/ nobo(ri)/ nobo(seru)/ nobo(su)/ yo(su) | above, up, over, climb, on top, climb |
| 17 | 10 | 時 | JI | toki/ -doki | time |
| 18 | 6 | 同 | DOU | ona(ji) | same, agree, same |
| 19 | 8 | 長 | CHOU | naga(i)/ osa | long, aspire, leader, boss |
| 20 | 8 | 東 | TOU | higashi | east |
| 21 | 6 | 行 | KOU/ GYOU/ AN | i(ku)/ yu(ku)/ -yu(ki)/ -yuki/ -i(ki)/ -iki/ okona(u)/ oko(nau) | go, travel, travel |
| 22 | 8 | 事 | JI/ ZU | koto/ tsuka(u)/ tsuka(eru) | matter, thing, fact, business, reason, possibly |
| 23 | 8 | 学 | GAKU | mana(bu) | study, learning, science |
| 24 | 5 | 生 | SEI/ SHOU | i(kiru)/ i(kasu)/ i(keru)/ u(mareru)/ u(mare)/ umare/ u(um)/ o(u)/ um(eru)/ um(yasu)/ ki/ nama/ nama-/ na(ru)/ na(su)/ um(su)/ -u | life, genuine, birth |
| 25 | 4 | 月 | GETSU/ GATSU | tsuki | month, moon |
| 26 | 8 | 者 | SHA | mono | someone person |
| 27 | 4 | 六 | ROKU/ RIKU | mu/ mu(tsu)/ mut-(tsu)/ mui | six |
| 28 | 12 | 間 | KAN/ KEN | aida/ ma/ ai | range, space |
| 29 | 4 | 方 | HOU | kata/ -kata/ -gata | direction, person, alternative |
| 30 | 4 | 分 | BUN/ FUN/ BU | wa(keru)/ wa(ke)/ wa(kareru)/ wa(karu)/ wa(katsu) | part, minute, segment, part, degree, duty, understand, know, value, 1%, opportunities, shaku/ 10 |
| 31 | 9 | 前 | ZEN | mae/ -mae | ahead, before |
| 32 | 9 | 後 | GO/ KOU | nochi/ ushi(ro)/ ushiro/ ato/ oku(reru) | back, later |
| 33 | 6 | 地 | CHI/ JI | earth, ground | |
| 34 | 12 | 場 | JOU/ CHOU | ba | location, place |
| 35 | 4 | 手 | SHU/ ZU | te/ te-/ -te/ ta- | mão |
| 36 | 9 | 政 | SEI/ SHOU | matsurigoto/ man | politics, government |
| 37 | 8 | 的 | TEKI | mato | target center, mark, target, object |
| 38 | 9 | 発 | HATSU/ HOTSU | ta(tsu)/ aba(ku)/ oko(ru)/ tsuka(wasu)/ hana(tsu) | release, departure, publish, issue, from, reveal |
| 39 | 6 | 合 | GOU/ GAT-/ KAT- | a(u)/ -a(u)/ a(i)/ ai-/ -a(i)/ -ai/ a(wasu)/ a(waseru)/ -a(waseru) | fit together |
| 40 | 2 | 八 | HACHI | ya/ ya(tsu)/ yat-(tsu)/ yo_ | oito |
| 41 | 20 | 議 | GI | deliberation, consultation, debate, consideration | |
| 42 | 11 | 部 | BU | -be | section, biro, department, class, copy, part, portion, suffix for counting newspapers or magazines |
| 43 | 14 | 稲 | TOU/ TE | ine/ ina- | rice plant |
| 44 | 10 | 員 | IN | employee, member, number, in charge | |
| 45 | 7 | 見 | KEN | mi(ru)/ mi(eru)/ mi(seru) | see, hopes, opportunities, idea, opinion, look, visible |
| 46 | 8 | 京 | KYOU/ KEI/ KIN | miyako | capital, 10 to the power of 16 |
| 47 | 2 | 九 | KYUU/ KU | kokono/ kokono(tsu) | nine |
| 48 | 7 | 社 | SHA | yashiro | company, firm, office, association, temple |
| 49 | 7 | 対 | TAI/ TSUI | aite/ kota(eru)/ soro(i)/ tsurea(i)/ nara(bu)/ muka(u) | vis-a-vis, contrary, even, equal, versus, anti-, compare |
| 50 | 13 | 業 | GYOU/ GOU | waza | business, vocation, arts, performance |
| 51 | 2 | 七 | SHICHI | nana/ nana(tsu)/ nano | sete |
| 52 | 3 | 子 | SHI/ SU/ TSU | ko/ -ko/ -t-(ko)/ ne | child |
| 53 | 13 | 新 | SHIN | atara(shii)/ ara(ta)/ ara-/ nii- | new |
| 54 | 6 | 自 | JI/ SHI | mizuka(ra)/ ono(zukara)/ ono(zuto) | yourself |
| 55 | 10 | 高 | KOU | taka(i)/ taka/ -daka/ taka(maru)/ taka(meru) | expensive high |
| 56 | 4 | 内 | NAI/ DAI | uchi | interior, inside, between, among, house, home |
| 57 | 5 | 立 | RITSU/ RYUU/ RITTORU | ta(tsu)/ -ta(tsu)/ ta(chi-)/ ta(teru)/ -ta(teru)/ ta(te-)/ tate-/ -ta(te)/ -da(te)/ -da(teru) | stand up, get up |
| 58 | 9 | 相 | SOU/ SHOU | ai- | inter-, mutual, together, mutually, minister of state, advisor, look, face, physiognomy |
| 59 | 9 | 度 | DO/ TO/ TAKU | tabi/ -ta(i) | degrees, occurrence, time, suffix for count of for occurrences |
| 60 | 6 | 回 | KAI/ E | mawa(ru)/ -mawa(ru)/ -mawa(ri)/ mawa(su)/ -mawa(su)/ mawa(shi-)/ -mawa(shi)/ motoo(ru)/ ka(eru) | times, round, set, revolve, suffix to count for occurrences, rotate |
| 61 | 11 | 問 | MON | to(u)/ to(i)/ ton | ask question problem |
| 62 | 8 | 定 | TEI/ JOU | sada(meru)/ sada(maru)/ sada(ka) | determine, fix, establish, decide |
| 63 | 15 | 億 | OKU | one hundred million, 10 to the power of 8 | |
| 64 | 5 | 目 | MOKU/ BOKU | me/ -me/ ma- | eye, class, look, vision, experience, attention, favor |
| 65 | 3 | 小 | SHOU | chii(sai)/ ko-/ o-/ única- | small, little |
| 66 | 2 | 力 | RYOKU/ RIKI/ RII | chikara | strength, strong, effort, endure, exert |
| 67 | 6 | 全 | ZEN | matta(ku)/ sube(te) | whole, all, complete, fill |
| 68 | 4 | 円 | EN | maru(i)/ maru/ mado/ mado(ka)/ maro(yaka) | circle yen round |
| 69 | 6 | 気 | KI/ KE | iki | spirit, mind |
| 70 | 9 | 峠 | - | to_ge | mountain peak, mountain pass, climax, ridge (kokuji) |
| 71 | 8 | 金 | KIN/ KON/ GON | kane/ kana-/ -gane | gold |
| 72 | 10 | 通 | TSUU/ TSU | too(ru)/ too(ri)/ -too(ri)/ -doo(ri)/ too(su)/ too(shi)/ -doo(shi)/ kayo(u) | traffic, pass through, avenue, commute, suffix for letter count |
| 73 | 12 | 開 | KAI | hira(ku)/ hira(ki)/ -bira(ki)/ hira(keru)/ a(ku)/ a(keru) | open, unfold, unseal |
| 74 | 13 | 戦 | SEN | ikusa/ tataka(u)/ onono(ku)/ soyogu/ wanana(ku) | war, battle, dispute |
| 75 | 5 | 市 | SHI | ichi | market, city, city |
| 76 | 6 | 米 | BEI/ MAI/ MEUTORU | kome/ yone | rice, usa |
| 77 | 5 | 民 | MIN | tami | people, nation, affairs |
| 78 | 3 | 千 | SEN | chi | thousand |
| 79 | 10 | 連 | REN | tsura(naru)/ tsura(neru)/ tsu(reru)/ -dzu(re) | lead along the way, primacy, unite, connect, party, gang, group |
| 80 | 7 | 決 | KETSU | ki(meru)/ -gi(me)/ ki(maru)/ um(ku) | decide, fix, agree on, appoint |
| 81 | 11 | 現 | GEN | arawa(reru)/ arawa(su) | present, existence, reality |
| 82 | 2 | 入 | NYUU/ NIT- | i(ru)/ -i(ru)/ -i(ri)/ i(reru)/ -i(re)/ hai(ru)/ hama(ru) | enter, insert |
| 83 | 4 | 午 | GO | uma | noon |
| 84 | 5 | 代 | UM/ TAI | ka(waru)/ kawa(ru)/ kawa(ri)/ -gawa(ri)/ ka(eru)/ yo/ shiro | substitute, change, converted, replace, period, age, generation, charge, value, rate |
| 85 | 11 | 第 | JÁ/ TEI | prefix for ordinal numbers, residence | |
| 86 | 8 | 実 | JITSU/ SHITSU | mi/ mino(ru)/ makoto/ makotoni/ mino/ michi(ru)/ jit- | reality, truth |
| 87 | 5 | 主 | SHU/ SU/ SHUU | nushi/ omo/ aruji | lord, chief, master, main thing, main |
| 88 | 11 | 動 | DOU | ugo(ku)/ ugo(kasu) | move, movement, change, fusion, exchange, agitate |
| 89 | 8 | 明 | MEI/ MYOU/ MIN | a(kari)/ aka(rui)/ aka(rumu)/ aka(ramu)/ aki(raka)/ a(keru)/ -a(ke)/ a(ku)/ a(kuru)/ a(kasu) | bright light |
| 90 | 10 | 党 | TOU | nakama/ mura | party, faction, cheerleading |
| 91 | 6 | 当 | TOU | a(taru)/ a(tari)/ a(teru)/ a( te)/ masa(ni)/ masa(nibeshi) | strike, right, appropriate, himself |
| 92 | 3 | 下 | KA/ GE | shita/ shimo/ moto/ única(geru)/ única(garu)/ kuda(ru)/ kuda(ri)/ kuda(su)/ -kuda(su)/ kuda(saru)/ o(rosu)/ o( riru) | down, below, descends, inferior, down, sub, under |
| 93 | 14 | 関 | KAN | seki/ -zeki/ kaka(waru)/ karakuri/ kannuki | connection, obstacle, passage, involve, concerning |
| 94 | 10 | 家 | KA/ KE | ie/ ya/ uchi | home |
| 95 | 15 | 調 | CHOU | shira(beru)/ shira(be)/ totono(u)/ totono(eru) | song, tone, meter, clef (music), writing style, prepare, exorcise, investigate |
| 96 | 18 | 題 | DAÍ | topic, subject | |
| 97 | 11 | 教 | KYOU | oshi(eru)/ oso(waru) | teach faith doctrine |
| 98 | 13 | 意 | I | idea, mind, heart, taste, thought, desire, attention, taste | |
| 99 | 4 | 区 | KU/ OU/ KOU | wath district | |
| 100 | 5 | 北 | HOKU | kita | north |
| 101 | 16 | 機 | KI | hata | mechanism, opportunity, occasion, machine, plane |
| 102 | 9 | 要 | YOU | I(ru) | necessity, main point, essence, pivot, key to |
| 103 | 4 | 化 | KA/ KE | ba(keru)/ ba(kasu)/ fu(keru)/ ke(C132suru) | change, take the form of, influence, enchant, elude, seduce, -isation |
| 104 | 11 | 野 | YA/ SHO | no/ no- | plains, countryside, rustic, civilian life |
| 105 | 7 | 来 | RAI/ TAI | ku(ru)/ kita(ru)/ kita(su)/ ki(tasu)/ ki(taru)/ ki/ ko | come, due, next, cause, become |
| 106 | 11 | 理 | RI | kotowari | logic, arrangement, reason, justice, truth |
| 107 | 7 | 体 | TAI/ TEI | karada/ katachi | body, substance, object, reality, suffix for counting for images |
| 108 | 11 | 強 | KYOU/ GOU | tsuyo(i)/ tsuyo(maru)/ tsuyo(meru)/ shi(iru)/ kowa(i) | strong, mighty, force |
| 109 | 6 | 成 | SEI/ JOU | na(ru)/ na(su)/ -na(su) | become, obtain, grow, pass, achieve |
| 110 | 5 | 外 | GAI/ GE | soto/ hoka/ hazu(su)/ hazu(reru)+C190/ to- | outside |
| 111 | 11 | 都 | TO/ TSU | miyako | metropolis, capital |
| 112 | 7 | 作 | SAKU/ UM | tsuku(ru)/ tsuku(ri)/ -dzuku(ri) | make, production, prepare, construction |
| 113 | 15 | 選 | SEN | era(bu) | choose, select, choose, prefer |
| 114 | 8 | 所 | SHO | tokoro/ -tokoro/ dokoro/ toko | place |
| 115 | 3 | 万 | MAN/ BAN | yorozu | ten thousand |
| 116 | 4 | 公 | KOU/ KU | ooyake | public, prince, official, governmental |
| 117 | 8 | 表 | HYOU | omote/ -omote/ arawa(su)/ arawa(reru)/ ara(wasu) | surface, table, chart, diagram |
| 118 | 12 | 最 | SAI/ SHU | motto(mo)/ tsuma | maximum capacity, greatest, extreme |
| 119 | 7 | 近 | KIN/ KON | chika(i) | close, early, consanguineous, equivalent |
| 120 | 12 | 期 | KI/ GO | period, time, date, term | |
| 121 | 9 | 思 | SHI | omo(u)/ omoera(ku)/ obo(su) | think |
| 122 | 5 | 正 | SEI/ SHOU | tada(shii)/ tada(su)/ masa/ masa(ni) | correct, justice, correct, right, 10 to the power of 40 |
| 123 | 8 | 物 | BUTSU/ MOTSU | mono/ mono- | thing, object, matter |
| 124 | 12 | 道 | DOU/ TOU | michi | way, road, street, district, travel, course, morals, teachings, philosophy |
| 125 | 8 | 府 | FU | burgo, urban region, high commission, representative body, warehouse | |
| 126 | 8 | 法 | HOU/ HAT-/ HOT-/ FURAN | nori | method, law, rule, principle, model, system |
| 127 | 9 | 約 | YOU | promise approximately back off | |
| 128 | 5 | 用 | YOU | mochi(iru) | utilize, business, service, use, employ |
| 129 | 9 | 点 | TEN | tsu(keru)/ tsu(ku)/ ta(teru)/ sa(su)/ tobo(su)/ tomo(su)/ bochi | point, mark, decimal point |
| 130 | 6 | 安 | AN | yasu(i)/ yasu(maru)/ yasu/ yasu( raka) | relax, calm, low, cheap, rested, peaceful, satisfied |
| 131 | 4 | 不 | FU/ BU | negative prefix, negative, not, ugly, bad, inelegant | |
| 132 | 11 | 務 | JÁ | tsuto(meru) | task, duties |
| 133 | 4 | 心 | SHIN | kokoro/ -gokoro | heart, mind, spirit |
| 134 | 11 | 産 | SAN | u(mu)/ u(mareru)/ ubu-/ mu(su) | products, give birth, born, give offspring, birth, native, goods |
| 135 | 4 | 今 | KON/ KIN | ima | now |
| 136 | 3 | 川 | SEN | kawa | current, river |
| 137 | 11 | 経 | KEI/ KYOU | he(ru)/ ta(tsu)/ tateito/ jáka(ru)/ nori | sutra, length, pass through, expire, warp |
| 138 | 8 | 委 | I | yuda(neru) | committee, entrust to, leave to, dedicate, discard |
| 139 | 5 | 以 | I | mot-(te) | by means of, because, in view of, compared with |
| 140 | 6 | 共 | KYOU | tomo/ tomo(ni)/ -domo | together, both (in affirm.), neither (in neg.), all, and likewise with |
| 141 | 10 | 原 | GEN | hara | meadow, original, primitive, field, plain, prairie, tundra, wilderness |
| 142 | 9 | 重 | JUU/ CHOU | e/ omo(i)/ omo(ri)/ omo(nau)/ kasa(neru)/ kaum(naru)/ omo | heavy, stack of boxes, -fold |
| 143 | 12 | 結 | KETSU/ KECHI | musu(bu)/ yu(u)/ yu(waeru) | tie, join, contract, union, organize, comb, close |
| 144 | 9 | 海 | KAI | umi | ocean, sea |
| 145 | 4 | 水 | SUI | mizu/ mizu- | Water |
| 146 | 5 | 打 | DA/ DAASU | u(tsu)/ u(chi-) | beat, access, beat, pound, dozen |
| 147 | 6 | 名 | MEI/ MYOU | na/ -na | name, fame, distinction, reputation |
| 148 | 7 | 町 | CHOU | machi | village, city, block, street |
| 149 | 4 | 予 | YO/ SHA | arakaji(me) | in advance, prior, myself, I |
| 150 | 6 | 多 | TA | oo(i)/ masa(ni)/ masa(ru) | many, frequent, a lot |
This list was sent by Bebeto Guerra.