Kanji N2

効: merit, efficacy, efficiency

効 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning merit, efficacy, efficiency, written with 8 strokes. It is read コウ (on) and きく, ききめ, ならう (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 5. You will see it in 効果 (こうか, effect) and 有効 (ゆうこう, valid).

効

Meanings

  • merit
  • efficacy
  • efficiency
  • benefit
Strokes8
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 5
Frequency#538 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • コウ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • きく
  • ききめ
  • ならう

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

12345678

Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

123456780 / 8

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 8. Start at the dot.

Common words with 効

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 効果こうか

    effect; effectiveness; efficacy; result

    JLPT N3
  • 有効ゆうこう

    valid; effective

    JLPT N3
  • 効力こうりょく

    effect; efficacy; validity; potency

    JLPT N2
  • 効くきく

    to be effective; to take effect

    JLPT N3
  • 無効むこう

    invalid; void; ineffective; unavailable

    JLPT N1
  • 効率こうりつ

    efficiency

    JLPT N1
  • 効き目ききめ

    effect; virtue; efficacy; impression

    JLPT N1
  • 実効じっこう

    practical effect; efficacy; efficiency

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.