Kanji N3

欠: lack, gap, fail

欠 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning lack, gap, fail, written with 4 strokes. It is read ケツ, ケン (on) and かける, かく (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 4. You will see it in 欠席 (けっせき, absence) and 欠点 (けってん, fault).

欠

Meanings

  • lack
  • gap
  • fail
Strokes4
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 4
Frequency#860 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ケツ
  • ケン

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

Kun reading
  • かける
  • かく

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.

1234

Now draw it

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

12340 / 4

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 4. Start at the dot.

Common words with 欠

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

  • 欠席けっせき

    absence; non-attendance

    JLPT N3
  • 欠点けってん

    fault; defect; flaw; weak point; weakness

    JLPT N3
  • 欠陥けっかん

    defect; fault; flaw; deformity; deficiency

    JLPT N3
  • 欠けるかける

    to chip; to be chipped; to break (off)

    JLPT N3
  • 不可欠ふかけつ

    indispensable; essential

    JLPT N1
  • 欠くかく

    to chip; to nick; to break; to crack

    JLPT N1
  • 欠伸あくび

    yawn; yawning

    JLPT N2
  • 欠乏けつぼう

    deficiency; insufficiency; shortage; lack; want

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