Kanji N3

在: exist, outskirts, suburbs

在 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning exist, outskirts, suburbs, written with 6 strokes. It is read ザイ (on) and ある (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 5. You will see it in 現在 (げんざい, the present) and 存在 (そんざい, existence).

在

Meanings

  • exist
  • outskirts
  • suburbs
  • located in
Strokes6
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 5
Frequency#211 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ザイ

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

Kun reading
  • ある

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.

123456

Now draw it

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

1234560 / 6

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 6. Start at the dot.

Common words with 在

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

  • 現在げんざい

    the present; present time; now

    JLPT N3
  • 存在そんざい

    existence; being; presence

    JLPT N3
  • 滞在たいざい

    stay; sojourn

    JLPT N3
  • 不在ふざい

    absence

    JLPT N1
  • 在学ざいがく

    attending (school, college, etc.)

    JLPT N2
  • 在庫ざいこ

    stock; inventory

    JLPT N1
  • 所在しょざい

    location (of); position; whereabouts

    JLPT N1
  • 自在じざい

    being able to do as one pleases; doing at will

    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.