The 150 Most Used Kanji in the Japanese Language

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.

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Bushu - radicals - kanji structures and their variants
Radicals

List of Most Used Kanji in Japanese

Below is a list of the most used ideograms in Japanese ordered by ranking:

RankingtraitsKanjiOn-YomiOn YomiPortuguese
1 4 NICHI/ SHITSU hi/ -bi/ -ka day, sun, japan
2 1 ICHI/ ITSU hito-/ hito(tsu) one
3 2 JUU/ JIT-/ JUT- too/ to ten
4 2 NI/ JI futa/ futa(tsu)/ futata(bi) two
5 3 DAI / TAI oo-/ oo(kii)/ -oo(ini) big, huge
6 3 SAN/ ZOU mi/ mi(tsu)/ mit-(tsu) three
7 9 KEI kaka(ru)/ kakari/ -gakari/ kaka(waru) person in charge, connection, duty, self-interest
8 6 KAI/ E a(u)/ a(waseru)/ atsu(maru) meeting, party, association, interview, unite
9 8 KOKU kuni country, land, nation
10 6 NEN toshi year
11 4 CHUU naka/ uchi/ ata(ru) in, interior, medium, middle, center
12 5 HON moto book, present, real, true, main, suffix for counting long things
13 4 GO itsu/ itsu(tsu) five
14 5 SHI yo/ yo(tsu)/ yot-(tsu)/ yon four
15 5 SHUTSU/ SUI de(ru)/ -de/ da(su)/ -da(su)/ i(deru)/ i(dasu) exit, leave
16 3 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 JI toki/ -doki time
18 6 DOU ona(ji) same, agree, same
19 8 CHOU naga(i)/ osa long, aspire, leader, boss
20 8 TOU higashi east
21 6 KOU/ GYOU/ AN i(ku)/ yu(ku)/ -yu(ki)/ -yuki/ -i(ki)/ -iki/ okona(u)/ oko(nau) go, travel
22 8 JI/ ZU koto/ tsuka(u)/ tsuka(eru) matter, thing, fact, business, reason, possibly
23 8 GAKU mana(bu) study, learning, science
24 5 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 GETSU/ GATSU tsuki month moon
26 8 SHA mono someone person
27 4 ROKU/ RIKU mu/ mu(tsu)/ mut-(tsu)/ mui six
28 12 KAN/ KEN aida/ ma/ ai range, space
29 4 HOU kata/ -kata/ -gata direction, person, alternative
30 4 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 ZEN mae/ -mae ahead, before
32 9 GO/ KOU nochi/ ushi(ro)/ ushiro/ ato/ oku(reru) back, later
33 6 CHI/ JI earth, ground
34 12 JOU/ CHOU ba location, place
35 4 SHU/ ZU te/ te-/ -te/ ta- hand
36 9 SEI/ SHOU matsurigoto/ man politics, government
37 8 TEKI mato bull's-eye, mark, target, object
38 9 HATSU/ HOTSU ta(tsu)/ aba(ku)/ oko(ru)/ tsuka(wasu)/ hana(tsu) release, departure, publish, issue, from, reveal
39 6 GOU/ GAT-/ KAT- a(u)/ -a(u)/ a(i)/ ai-/ -a(i)/ -ai/ a(wasu)/ a(waseru)/ -a(waseru) fit together
40 2 HACHI ya/ ya(tsu)/ yat-(tsu)/ yo_ eight
41 20 GI deliberation, consultation, debate, consideration
42 11 BU -be section, biro, department, class, copy, part, portion, suffix for counting newspapers or magazines
43 14 TOU/ TE ine/ ina- rice plant
44 10 IN employee, member, number, in charge
45 7 KEN mi(ru)/ mi(eru)/ mi(seru) see, hopes, opportunities, idea, opinion, look, visible
46 8 KYOU/ KEI/ KIN miyako capital, 10 to the power of 16
47 2 KYUU/ KU kokono/ kokono(tsu) nine
48 7 SHA yashiro company, firm, office, association, temple
49 7 TAI/ TSUI aite/ kota(eru)/ soro(i)/ tsurea(i)/ nara(bu)/ muka(u) vis-a-vis, contrary, even, equal, versus, anti-, compare
50 13 GYOU/ GOU waza business, vocation, arts, performance
51 2 SHICHI nana/ nana(tsu)/ nano seven
52 3 SHI/ SU/ TSU ko/ -ko/ -t-(ko)/ ne child
53 13 SHIN atara(shii)/ ara(ta)/ ara-/ nii- new
54 6 JI/ SHI mizuka(ra)/ ono(zukara)/ ono(zuto) himself
55 10 KOU taka(i)/ taka/ -daka/ taka(maru)/ taka(meru) expensive high
56 4 NAI/ DAI uchi interior, inside, between, among, house, home
57 5 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 SOU/ SHOU ai- inter-, mutual, together, mutually, minister of state, counselor, aspect, face, physiognomy
59 9 DO/ TO/ TAKU tabi/ -ta(i) degrees, occurrence, time, suffix for count of for occurrences
60 6 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 MON to(u)/ to(i)/ ton ask question problem
62 8 TEI/ JOU sada(meru)/ sada(maru)/ sada(ka) determine, fix, establish, decide
63 15 OKU one hundred million, 10 to the power of 8
64 5 MOKU/ BOKU me/ -me/ ma- eye, class, look, vision, experience, attention, favor
65 3 SHOU chii(sai)/ ko-/ o-/ única- small, little
66 2 RYOKU/ RIKI/ RII chikara strength, strong, effort, endure, exert
67 6 ZEN matta(ku)/ sube(te) whole, all, complete, fill
68 4 EN maru(i)/ maru/ mado/ mado(ka)/ maro(yaka) circle yen round
69 6 KI/ KE iki spirit, mind
70 9 - to_ge mountain peak, mountain pass, climax, ridge (kokuji)
71 8 KIN/ KON/ GON kane/ kana-/ -gane gold
72 10 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 KAI hira(ku)/ hira(ki)/ -bira(ki)/ hira(keru)/ a(ku)/ a(keru) open, unfold, unseal
74 13 SEN ikusa/ tataka(u)/ onono(ku)/ soyogu/ wanana(ku) war, battle, dispute
75 5 SHI ichi market, city, city
76 6 BEI/ MAI/ MEUTORU kome/ yone rice, usa
77 5 MIN tami people, nation, affairs
78 3 SEN chi thousand
79 10 REN tsura(naru)/ tsura(neru)/ tsu(reru)/ -dzu(re) lead along the way, primacy, unite, connect, party, gang, group
80 7 KETSU ki(meru)/ -gi(me)/ ki(maru)/ um(ku) decide, fix, agree on, nominate
81 11 GEN arawa(reru)/ arawa(su) present, existence, reality
82 2 NYUU/ NIT- i(ru)/ -i(ru)/ -i(ri)/ i(reru)/ -i(re)/ hai(ru)/ hama(ru) enter, insert
83 4 GO uma noon
84 5 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 JÁ/ TEI prefix for ordinal numbers, residence
86 8 JITSU/ SHITSU mi/ mino(ru)/ makoto/ makotoni/ mino/ michi(ru)/ jit- reality, truth
87 5 SHU/ SU/ SHUU nushi/ omo/ aruji lord, chief, master, main thing, main
88 11 DOU ugo(ku)/ ugo(kasu) move, motion, change, alreadyfusion, exchange, shake
89 8 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 TOU nakama/ mura party, faction, cheerleading
91 6 TOU a(taru)/ a(tari)/ a(teru)/ a( te)/ masa(ni)/ masa(nibeshi) strike, right, appropriate, himself
92 3 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 KAN seki/ -zeki/ kaka(waru)/ karakuri/ kannuki connection, obstacle, passage, involve, concerning
94 10 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 DAÍ topic, subject
97 11 KYOU oshi(eru)/ oso(waru) teach faith doctrine
98 13 I idea, mind, heart, taste, thought, desire, attention, taste
99 4 KU/ OU/ KOU wath district
100 5 HOKU kita north
101 16 KI hata mechanism, opportunity, occasion, machine, plane
102 9 YOU I(ru) necessity, main point, essence, pivot, key to
103 4 KA/ KE ba(keru)/ ba(kasu)/ fu(keru)/ ke(C132suru) change, take the form of, influence, enchant, elude, seduce, -isation
104 11 YA/ SHO no/ no- plains, countryside, rustic, civilian life
105 7 RAI/ TAI ku(ru)/ kita(ru)/ kita(su)/ ki(tasu)/ ki(taru)/ ki/ ko come, due, next, cause, become
106 11 RI kotowari logic, arrangement, reason, justice, truth
107 7 TAI/ TEI karada/ katachi body, substance, object, reality, suffix for counting for images
108 11 KYOU/ GOU tsuyo(i)/ tsuyo(maru)/ tsuyo(meru)/ shi(iru)/ kowa(i) strong, mighty, force
109 6 SEI/ JOU na(ru)/ na(su)/ -na(su) become, obtain, grow, pass, achieve
110 5 GAI/ GE soto/ hoka/ hazu(su)/ hazu(reru)+C190/ to- outside
111 11 TO/ TSU miyako metropolis, capital
112 7 SAKU/ UM tsuku(ru)/ tsuku(ri)/ -dzuku(ri) make, production, prepare, construction
113 15 SEN era(bu) choose, select, choose, prefer
114 8 SHO tokoro/ -tokoro/ dokoro/ toko place
115 3 MAN/ BAN yorozu ten thousand
116 4 KOU/ KU ooyake public, prince, official, governmental
117 8 HYOU omote/ -omote/ arawa(su)/ arawa(reru)/ ara(wasu) surface, table, chart, diagram
118 12 SAI/ SHU motto(mo)/ tsuma maximum capacity, greatest, extreme
119 7 KIN/ KON chika(i) close, early, consanguineous, equivalent
120 12 KI/ GO period, time, date, term
121 9 SHI omo(u)/ omoera(ku)/ obo(su) think
122 5 SEI/ SHOU tada(shii)/ tada(su)/ masa/ masa(ni) correct, justice, correct, right, 10 to the power of 40
123 8 BUTSU/ MOTSU mono/ mono- thing, object, matter
124 12 DOU/ TOU michi way, road, street, district, travel, course, morals, teachings, philosophy
125 8 FU burgo, urban region, high commission, representative body, warehouse
126 8 HOU/ HAT-/ HOT-/ FURAN nori method, law, rule, principle, model, system
127 9 YOU promise approximately back off
128 5 YOU mochi(iru) utilize, business, service, use, employ
129 9 TEN tsu(keru)/ tsu(ku)/ ta(teru)/ sa(su)/ tobo(su)/ tomo(su)/ bochi point, mark, decimal point
130 6 AN yasu(i)/ yasu(maru)/ yasu/ yasu( raka) relax, calm, low, cheap, rested, peaceful, satisfied
131 4 FU/ BU negative prefix, negative, not, ugly, bad, inelegant
132 11 tsuto(meru) task, duties
133 4 SHIN kokoro/ -gokoro heart, mind, spirit
134 11 SAN u(mu)/ u(mareru)/ ubu-/ mu(su) products, give birth, give birth, native, goods
135 4 KON/ KIN ima now
136 3 SEN kawa stream, river
137 11 KEI/ KYOU he(ru)/ ta(tsu)/ tateito/ jáka(ru)/ nori sutra, longitude, pass through, expire, warp
138 8 I yuda(neru) committee, entrust to, leave to, dedicate, discard
139 5 I mot-(te) by means of, because, in view of, compared with
140 6 KYOU tomo/ tomo(ni)/ -domo together, both (in affirm.), neither (in neg.), all, and likewise with
141 10 GEN hara meadow, original, primitive, countryside, plain, prairie, tundra, backcountry
142 9 JUU/ CHOU e/ omo(i)/ omo(ri)/ omo(nau)/ kasa(neru)/ kaum(naru)/ omo heavy, stack of boxes, -fold
143 12 KETSU/ KECHI musu(bu)/ yu(u)/ yu(waeru) tie, unite, contract, union, arrange, comb, close
144 9 KAI umi ocean, sea
145 4 SUI mizu/ mizu- Water
146 5 DA/ DAASU u(tsu)/ u(chi-) beat, access, beat, pound, dozen
147 6 MEI/ MYOU na/ -na name, fame, distinction, reputation
148 7 CHOU machi village, city, block, street
149 4 YO/ SHA arakaji(me) in advance, prior, myself, I
150 6 TA oo(i)/ masa(ni)/ masa(ru) many, frequent, a lot

This list was sent by Bebeto Guerra.

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