Kanji N3

才: genius, years old, cubic shaku

才 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning genius, years old, cubic shaku, written with 3 strokes. It is read サイ (on), and has no common kun reading. Children in Japan learn it in grade 2. You will see it in 才能 (さいのう, talent) and 天才 (てんさい, genius).

才

Meanings

  • genius
  • years old
  • cubic shaku
Strokes3
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 2
Frequency#1497 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • サイ

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

Kun reading
  • None in common use

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.

123

Now draw it

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

1230 / 3

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 3. Start at the dot.

Common words with 才

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

  • 才能さいのう

    talent; ability

    JLPT N3
  • 天才てんさい

    genius; prodigy; natural gift

    JLPT N1
  • 才さい

    ability; gift; talent; aptitude; genius

  • 漫才まんざい

    manzai; comic dialogue

  • 秀才しゅうさい

    bright person; talented student; prodigy

  • 鬼才きさい

    wizard; genius; remarkable talent

  • 多才たさい

    talented

  • 英才えいさい

    genius; brilliance; unusual talent

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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.