気 — Kanji Reference
気 (spirit, mood): 6 strokes, JLPT N5. On: キ、ケ. Kun: none.
気
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Meaning | spirit, mood, air, energy |
| Strokes | 6 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
| On-reading (音読み) | キ、ケ |
| Kun-reading (訓読み) | none |
| Radical | 気 (きがまえ - kigamae) U+6C17 |
Stroke Order
The kanji 気 is written in 6 strokes. Follow the standard rule of top-to-bottom and left-to-right:
- Stroke 1: The short horizontal line at the top left.
- Stroke 2: The short horizontal line below the first.
- Stroke 3: The short diagonal stroke (dot) at the top right.
- Stroke 4: The horizontal stroke forming the top of the bottom component.
- Stroke 5: The long, sweeping diagonal stroke starting from the left.
- Stroke 6: The final stroke that curves down and to the right, crossing the previous stroke.
Radical Analysis
The radical for 気 is the 気 (きがまえ - kigamae), which literally means "the 'ki' enclosure."
- Top part (𠂇 + 㐅): Represents steam or vapor rising.
- Bottom part (米): Represents rice.
- Combined meaning: The original concept represents "steam rising from cooking rice." This evolved into the abstract concept of "energy," "spirit," or "atmosphere"—the invisible "steam" or "life force" that surrounds us.
Mnemonic
Imagine a pot of rice cooking on a stove. The steam (気) rises up from the rice (米). Just as the steam is the invisible energy escaping the pot, 気 represents the invisible energy or "spirit" inside a person or the atmosphere.
On-readings (音読み) with Examples
キ (ki)
| Word | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 天気 | てんき | tenki | weather |
| 人気 | にんき | ninki | popularity |
| 気分 | きぶん | kibun | mood |
| 元気 | げんき | genki | healthy/energetic |
ケ (ke)
| Word | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 気配 | けはい | kehai | sign/indication |
| 気丈 | けじょう | kejō | stout-hearted |
Kun-readings (訓読み) with Examples
Note: While there are no standard Joyo kun-readings, the character is sometimes used in specific compounds or older readings, but for N5 learners, it is treated as having no kun-reading.
JLPT N5 Words Using 気
| Word | Reading | Romaji | English | JLPT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 元気 | げんき | genki | healthy/energetic | N5 |
| 天気 | てんき | tenki | weather | N5 |
| 気分 | きぶん | kibun | mood | N4 |
| 人気 | にんき | ninki | popularity | N4 |
| 気をつける | きをつける | ki o tsukeru | to be careful | N5 |
| 病気 | びょうき | byōki | illness | N5 |
| 電気 | でんき | denki | electricity/light | N5 |
| 気に入る | きにいる | ki ni iru | to like/be pleased with | N3 |
| 気持ち | きもち | kimochi | feeling/sensation | N4 |
| 気にする | きにする | ki ni suru | to worry/mind | N3 |
Example Sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 今日は元気です。 | きょうはげんきです。 | Kyō wa genki desu. | I am feeling well today. |
| 天気がいいですね。 | てんきがいいですね。 | Tenki ga ii desu ne. | The weather is nice, isn't it? |
| 彼は病気です。 | かれはびょうきです。 | Kare wa byōki desu. | He is sick. |
| 気をつけて帰ってください。 | きをつけてかえってください。 | Ki o tsukete kaette kudasai. | Please be careful on your way home. |
| 私は新しい車が気に入りました。 | わたしはあたらしいくるまがきにいりました。 | Watashi wa atarashii kuruma ga ki ni irimashita. | I have taken a liking to the new car. |
| 部屋の雰囲気が好きです。 | へやのふんいきがすきです。 | Heya no fun'iki ga suki desu. | I like the atmosphere of the room. |
Common Confusion Pairs
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | How to distinguish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 気 | キ | Spirit/Air | Has the 米 (rice) component at the bottom. |
| 汽 | キ | Steam | Has the 氵 (water) radical; used for steam-powered things (e.g., 汽船 - steamship). |
Usage Frequency Note
気 is one of the most frequently used kanji in the Japanese language. It appears in hundreds of common compounds and is essential for expressing emotions, health, and environmental conditions. It is used equally in formal writing and casual daily conversation.