Jisho

×

優

17 strokes
Radical:
man, human 人 (亻)
Parts:
一 化 冖 夂 心 白 自
tenderness, excel, surpass, actor, superiority, gentleness
Kun:
やさ.しい、 すぐ.れる、 まさ.る
On:
ユウ、 ウ
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 6
JLPT level N3
334 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 優 【ユウ】 Excellent (grade), A, superiority, excellence, gentle, graceful, elegant, skillful
  • 優位 【ユウイ】 predominance, superiority, ascendancy, advantage, supremacy
  • 声優 【セイユウ】 voice actor or actress (radio, animation, etc.)
  • 怪優 【カイユウ】 actor or performer with fascinating acting and appearance
  • 優曇華 【ウドンゲ】 udumbara (mythical Indian plant often identified with the cluster fig, Ficus glomerata), something very rare (from the legend that the udumbara flowers once in 3000 years), Japanese fiber banana flower, green lacewing eggs
  • 優婆夷 【ウバイ】 upasika (devout female lay follower of Buddhism)
  • 声優 【セイユウ】 voice actor or actress (radio, animation, etc.)
  • 怪優 【カイユウ】 actor or performer with fascinating acting and appearance

Kun reading compounds

  • 優しい 【やさしい】 tender, kind, gentle, graceful, affectionate, amiable
  • 優しい声 【やさしいこえ】 soft voice
  • 優れる 【すぐれる】 to surpass, to outstrip, to excel
  • 勝る 【まさる】 to excel, to surpass, to exceed, to have an edge, to be superior, to outrival, to outweigh, to preponderate
  • 優るとも劣らない 【まさるともおとらない】 not at all inferior to, rival or surpass, compare favorably (with)

Readings

Japanese names:
ゆ、 よし
Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
you1
Korean:
u

Spanish

  • excelente
  • sobresaliente
  • especial
  • papel
  • función
  • elegante
  • tierno
  • amable
  • cariñoso
  • sobrepasar
  • dejar atrás
  • sobresalir

Portuguese

  • ternura
  • superar
  • superação
  • ator
  • superioridade
  • gentileza

French

  • tendresse
  • gentillesse
  • exceller
  • surpasser
  • supériorité
  • acteur
995 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
984 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
453 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
564 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
1148 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
336 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
2599 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
1033 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
1074 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
1168 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
140 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
200 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
130 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
156 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
1002 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
1261 Morohashi
177 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
334 New Nelson (John Haig)
993 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
1068 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
1000 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
2167 2001 Kanji
2a15.1 The Kanji Dictionary
1-2-15 SKIP code
2124.7 Four corner code
1-45-05 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
512a Unicode hex code

先

6 strokes
Radical:
legs 儿
Parts:
ノ 儿 土
before, ahead, previous, future, precedence
Kun:
さき、 ま.ず
On:
セン
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 1
JLPT level N5
173 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 先 【セン】 former, previous, old, first move (in go, shogi, etc.), opening move
  • 先駆 【センク】 forerunner, precursor, pioneer, leader, outrider, outriding
  • 機先 【キセン】 forestall
  • 互先 【タガイセン】 even game (esp. in go)

Kun reading compounds

  • 先 【さき】 point, tip, end, nozzle, head (of a line), front, first, before, ahead (of), (the way) ahead, beyond, future, previous, prior, former, recent, last, destination, address, place where you do something, rest (e.g. of a story), continuation, remaining part, the other party
  • 先行き 【さきゆき】 the future, future prospects
  • 小手先 【こてさき】 tip of the hand, (use of) one's hands, cheap trick, superficial wit, superficial cleverness, cheap, makeshift (e.g. measures), shortsighted, perfunctory, halfhearted
  • 矛先 【ほこさき】 point of a spear, spearhead, focus (of one's attack, criticism, etc.), aim, target, brunt, force (of an argument), edge
  • 先ず 【まず】 first (of all), firstly, to begin with, before anything else, probably, most likely, almost certainly, virtually, more or less (satisfactory), on the whole, reasonably, anyway, at any rate, for now (at least), for the time being
  • まず第一に 【まずだいいちに】 first of all, in the first place, to begin with, for starters

Readings

Japanese names:
ぽん
Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
xian1
Korean:
seon

Spanish

  • antes
  • adelante
  • previo
  • precedencia
  • extremo
  • punta
  • final
  • anterior

Portuguese

  • antes
  • prévio
  • na frente
  • futuro
  • precedência

French

  • avant
  • devant
  • précédent
  • futur
  • antériorité
33 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade)
43 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
49 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
201 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
571 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
65 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
16 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
280 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
2.18 Japanese for Busy People
50 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
50 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
48 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
145 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
3046 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
1552 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2123 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
254 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
1349 Morohashi
2394 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
350 New Nelson (John Haig)
248 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
263 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
115 The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley)
54 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
2457 2001 Kanji
3b3.7 The Kanji Dictionary
2-4-2 SKIP code
2421.1 Four corner code
1-32-72 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
5148 Unicode hex code

使

8 strokes
Radical:
man, human 人 (亻)
Parts:
一 ノ 化 口
use, send on a mission, order, messenger, envoy, ambassador, cause
Kun:
つか.う、 つか.い、 -つか.い、 -づか.い
On:
シ
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 3
JLPT level N4
219 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 使 【シ】 messenger, police and judicial chief (Heian and Kamakura periods), klesha (polluting thoughts such as greed, hatred and delusion, which result in suffering)
  • 使者 【シシャ】 messenger, envoy, emissary
  • 特使 【トクシ】 special envoy
  • 実力行使 【ジツリョクコウシ】 use of force

Kun reading compounds

  • 使う 【つかう】 to use (a tool, method, etc.), to make use of, to put to use, to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.), to employ, to handle, to manage, to manipulate, to use (time, money, etc.), to spend, to consume, to use (language), to speak
  • 使い 【つかい】 errand, mission, going on an errand, messenger, bearer, errand boy, errand girl, familiar spirit, use, usage, user, trainer, tamer, handler, charmer
  • 使い方 【つかいかた】 way of using (something), way to use, how to use, usage, use, way of handling (employees, subordinates, etc.), way of treating, treatment, management
  • オズの魔法使い 【オズのまほうつかい】 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (novel by L. F. Baum, 1900), The Wizard of Oz (film, 1939)
  • 春の使い 【はるのつかい】 Japanese bush warbler, messenger of spring

Readings

Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
shi3, shi4
Korean:
sa

Spanish

  • usar
  • manejar
  • emplear

Portuguese

  • Uso
  • usar

French

  • utiliser
224 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade)
303 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
287 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
226 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
432 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
210 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
117 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
556 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
2.3 Japanese for Busy People
331 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
331 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
199 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
89 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
100 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
68 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
72 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
999 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
573 Morohashi
90 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
196 New Nelson (John Haig)
990 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
1065 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
239 The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley)
298 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
2166 2001 Kanji
2a6.2 The Kanji Dictionary
1-2-6 SKIP code
2520.6 Four corner code
1-27-40 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
4f7f Unicode hex code

用

5 strokes
Radical:
use 用 (甩)
Parts:
用
utilize, business, service, use, employ
Kun:
もち.いる
On:
ヨウ
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 2
JLPT level N4
107 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 用 【ヨウ】 business, task, errand, engagement, use, purpose, for the use of ..., used for ..., made for ..., call of nature, excretion
  • 用意 【ヨウイ】 preparation, arrangements, provision, getting ready, laying out (e.g. a meal)
  • 登用 【トウヨウ】 appointment, assignment, promotion
  • 効用 【コウヨウ】 use, utility, effect, benefit

Kun reading compounds

  • 用いる 【もちいる】 to use, to make use of, to utilize, to utilise

Readings

Japanese names:
たから
Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
yong4
Korean:
yong

Spanish

  • uso
  • empleo
  • trabajo
  • usar
  • hacer uso de

Portuguese

  • utilizar
  • negócios
  • serviço
  • usar
  • empregar

French

  • se servir de
  • affaires
  • service
  • utiliser
  • employer
146 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade)
235 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
215 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
102 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
2993 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
110 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
219 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
193 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
2.19 Japanese for Busy People
107 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
107 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
308 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
1329 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
3694 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
1889 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2569 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
1189 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
21703 Morohashi
2976 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
3721 New Nelson (John Haig)
1181 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
1265 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
177 The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley)
116 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
3653 2001 Kanji
2r3.1 The Kanji Dictionary
3-2-3 SKIP code
4-5-1 SKIP code
7722.0 Four corner code
1-45-49 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
7528 Unicode hex code

語

14 strokes
Radical:
speech 言 (訁)
Parts:
口 五 言
word, speech, language
Kun:
かた.る、 かた.らう
On:
ゴ
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 2
JLPT level N5
301 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 語 【ゴ】 word, language, speech
  • 語学 【ゴガク】 study of foreign languages, linguistics
  • 標語 【ヒョウゴ】 motto, slogan, catchword
  • 造語 【ゾウゴ】 coinage, invention of a new word, coined word

Kun reading compounds

  • 語る 【かたる】 to talk about, to speak of, to tell, to narrate, to recite, to chant, to indicate, to show
  • 語るに落ちる 【かたるにおちる】 to let slip a secret, to let the cat out of the bag
  • 語らう 【かたらう】 to talk, to tell, to recite, to pledge, to conspire with

Readings

Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
yu3, yu4
Korean:
eo

Spanish

  • palabra
  • discurso
  • lenguaje
  • hablar
  • conversar
  • narrar

Portuguese

  • palavra
  • discurso
  • língua

French

  • langage
  • mot
  • raconter
209 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade)
124 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
112 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
274 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
4374 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
231 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
87 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
2136 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
2.1 Japanese for Busy People
67 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
67 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
154 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
1685 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
1944 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
1040 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
1402 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
353 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
35533 Morohashi
1543 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
5628 New Nelson (John Haig)
347 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
371 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
211 The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley)
231 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
3077 2001 Kanji
7a7.6 The Kanji Dictionary
1-7-7 SKIP code
0166.1 Four corner code
1-24-76 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
8a9e Unicode hex code