Kanji N2

簡: simplicity, brevity

簡 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning simplicity, brevity, written with 18 strokes. It is read カン, ケン (on) and えらぶ, ふだ (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 6. You will see it in 簡単 (かんたん, simple) and 簡易 (かんい, simple).

簡

Meanings

  • simplicity
  • brevity
Strokes18
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 6
Frequency#983 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • カン
  • ケン

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

Kun reading
  • えらぶ
  • ふだ

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.

123456789101112131415161718

Now draw it

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

1234567891011121314151617180 / 18

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 18. Start at the dot.

Common words with 簡

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

  • 簡単かんたん

    simple; easy; uncomplicated

    JLPT N4
  • 簡易かんい

    simple; simplified

    JLPT N1
  • 簡素かんそ

    simple; plain; modest

    JLPT N1
  • 簡潔かんけつ

    concise; brief; succinct; compact (style)

    JLPT N1
  • 書簡しょかん

    letter; note; epistle; correspondence

  • 簡略かんりゃく

    simple; brief

  • 簡裁かんさい

    summary court; court of summary offences

  • 簡易保険かんいほけん

    postal life insurance

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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.