言 — JLPT N5 Kanji
言 (gen/gon/i-u): say. JLPT N5 kanji.
Character Info
| Kanji | Strokes | JLPT | Radical | Radical Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 言 | 7 | N5 | 言 | speech/word |
Readings
| Type | Reading | Romaji | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| On (音) | ゲン/ゴン | gen/gon | Chinese-origin (音読み) |
| Kun (訓) | い-う/こと | i-u/koto | to say; word |
Meanings
- say
- speak
- word
Vocabulary
| Word | Reading | Romaji | English | JLPT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 言う | いう | iu | to say | N5 |
| 言葉 | ことば | kotoba | word / language | N5 |
| 言語 | げんご | gengo | language | N4 |
| 一言 | ひとこと | hitokoto | one word / brief comment | N4 |
| 言訳 | いいわけ | iiwake | excuse / explanation | N4 |
Stroke Order
Top: 亠 (lid, 2 strokes) + 口-like (1 stroke). Then: 三 horizontal lines (3 strokes). Bottom: 口 (mouth, 1 stroke).
Mnemonic
A mouth (口) with sound waves above — the character for speech and language.
Common Mistakes
言 (say/word) is the standalone form; as a radical it becomes 訁 (7-stroke form) on the left of compound kanji.