Kanji N2

炭: charcoal, coal

炭 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning charcoal, coal, written with 9 strokes. It is read タン (on) and すみ (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 3. You will see it in 石炭 (せきたん, coal) and 炭鉱 (たんこう, coal mine).

炭

Meanings

  • charcoal
  • coal
Strokes9
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 3
Frequency#1307 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • タン

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

Kun reading
  • すみ

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.

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Now draw it

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

1234567890 / 9

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 9. Start at the dot.

Common words with 炭

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

  • 石炭せきたん

    coal

    JLPT N3
  • 炭鉱たんこう

    coal mine; (coal) pit; colliery

    JLPT N2
  • 炭素たんそ

    carbon (C)

    JLPT N1
  • 炭すみ

    charcoal

  • 木炭もくたん

    charcoal

  • 炭田たんでん

    coalfield; coal field

  • 炭酸たんさん

    carbonic acid

  • 泥炭でいたん

    peat

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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.