Kanji N2

層: stratum, social class, layer

層 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning stratum, social class, layer, written with 14 strokes. It is read ソウ (on), and has no common kun reading. Children in Japan learn it in grade 6. You will see it in 高層 (こうそう, high-rise) and 大層 (たいそう, very).

層

Meanings

  • stratum
  • social class
  • layer
  • story
  • floor
Strokes14
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 6
Frequency#801 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ソウ

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

Kun reading
  • None in common use

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.

1234567891011121314

Now draw it

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

12345678910111213140 / 14

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 14. Start at the dot.

Common words with 層

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

  • 高層こうそう

    high-rise (building); multistory; multistoried

    JLPT N2
  • 大層たいそう

    very; extremely; exceedingly; greatly; terribly

    JLPT N2
  • 一層いっそう

    even more; still more; all the more

    JLPT N3
  • 階層かいそう

    class; level; stratum; layer; hierarchy

    JLPT N1
  • 断層だんそう

    fault; dislocation

  • 地層ちそう

    stratum; geological formation; layer

  • 上層じょうそう

    upper stratum (classes, stories, storeys)

  • 深層しんそう

    depths; deep level

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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. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY.