Kanji N3

常: usual, ordinary, normal

常 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning usual, ordinary, normal, written with 11 strokes. It is read ジョウ (on) and つね (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 5. You will see it in 非常 (ひじょう, emergency) and 日常 (にちじょう, everyday).

常

Meanings

  • usual
  • ordinary
  • normal
  • common
  • regular
  • continually
  • always
  • long-lasting
Strokes11
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 5
Frequency#293 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ジョウ

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

Kun reading
  • つね
  • とこ-

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.

1234567891011

Now draw it

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

12345678910110 / 11

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 11. Start at the dot.

Common words with 常

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

  • 非常ひじょう

    emergency

    JLPT N3
  • 日常にちじょう

    everyday; daily; ordinary; usual; routine

    JLPT N3
  • 常につねに

    always; constantly; at all times; habitually

    JLPT N3
  • 常識じょうしき

    common sense; good sense; common knowledge

    JLPT N3
  • 異常いじょう

    abnormal; unusual; extraordinary; remarkable

    JLPT N3
  • 非常にひじょうに

    very; extremely; exceedingly

    JLPT N4
  • 正常せいじょう

    normal; regular

    JLPT N1
  • 通常つうじょう

    usual; ordinary; normal; regular; general

    JLPT N1

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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.