花 — JLPT N5 Kanji

花 (カ/はな): flower; blossom. JLPT N5 essential kanji.

JLPT Level: N5 | Strokes: 7 | Radical: 艹 (grass/plant)

Readings

Type Reading Romaji Notes
On-yomi ka flower in compounds
Kun-yomi はな hana flower, blossom

Meanings

  1. Flower, blossom
  2. Beautiful (figurative)
  3. Fireworks (花火)

Vocabulary

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
はな hana flower N5
花火 はなび hanabi fireworks N5
花見 はなみ hanami cherry blossom viewing N4
花瓶 かびん kabin flower vase N4
花束 はなたば hanataba bouquet of flowers N4

Stroke Order

1-2. Top: 艹 (grass radical) — two short strokes 3-7. Bottom: 化 (change/transform) component — person strokes on left and right

Memory Aid

花 = 艹 (grass/plants) + 化 (change/transform). A plant that transforms — a bud that opens and blooms into a flower. The transformation is the blooming process.

Common Confusion

花 (flower) vs 鼻 (nose) — both read as はな (hana). Context always makes it clear: 花 has the plant radical; 鼻 has a completely different shape.