| 1220 | A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall) |
| 1180 | A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage |
| 4732 | Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson) |
| 895 | Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill) |
| 1816 | Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki) |
| 1173 | Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky) |
| 1231 | Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky) |
| 1214 | Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono) |
| 715 | Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide |
| 3908 | Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern) |
| 2015 | Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern) |
| 2717 | Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern) |
| 1789 | Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette) |
| 39052P | Morohashi |
| 3152 | New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern) |
| 6100 | New Nelson (John Haig) |
| 1773 | Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig) |
| 1910 | Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig) |
| 1677 | Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask) |
Jōyō kanji, taught in junior high
JLPT level N1
664 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers
Stroke order
On reading compounds
- 遣唐使 【ケントウシ】 envoy to Tang China
- 遣欧 【ケンオウ】 dispatching to Europe (e.g. an envoy), sending to Europe
- 先遣 【センケン】 sending ahead
- 差遣 【サケン】 dispatch, despatch, sending
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
- 遣わす 【つかわす】 to send, to dispatch, to despatch, to bestow (favour, etc.), to grant (e.g. pardon)
- 遣る 【やる】 to do, to undertake, to perform, to play (a game), to study, to send, to dispatch, to despatch, to put, to move, to turn (one's head, glance, etc.), to give (esp. to someone of equal or lower status), to let have, to present, to bestow, to confer, to make (a vehicle) go faster, to run (a business), to keep, to be engaged in, to practice (law, medicine, etc.), to practise, to have (food, drink, etc.), to eat, to drink, to smoke, to hold (a performance), to perform, to show, to ease (one's mind), to harm, to injure, to kill, to have sex, to fuck, to bang, to live, to get by, to get along, to do ... completely, to do ... broadly, to do ... to a great distance, to do ... for (someone of equal or lower status), to do ... to, to make active efforts to ...
- やる気 【やるき】 will (to do something), drive, motivation, enthusiasm, eagerness
Readings
- Korean:
- gyeon
Spanish
- enviar
- despachar
- dar
- donar
- obsequiar
Portuguese
- despacho
- enviar
- dar
- doar
- fazer
- empreender
French
- expédier
- envoyer
- donner
- faire
- entreprendre
| 1677 | 2001 Kanji |
| 2q10.2 | The Kanji Dictionary |
| 3-3-10 | SKIP code |
| 3530.7 | Four corner code |
| 1-24-15 | JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code |
| 9063 | Unicode hex code |
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 2
JLPT level N4
67 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers
Stroke order
On reading compounds
- 明 【メイ】 brightness, discernment, insight, an eye (for), eyesight, vision, nth year in the Meiji era (1868.9.8-1912.7.30)
- 明暗 【メイアン】 light and darkness, light and shade
- 公明 【コウメイ】 fairness, openness, impartiality, Komeito (Japanese political party)
- 英明 【エイメイ】 intelligent, wise, bright, brilliant, clear-sighted
- 明 【ミョウ】 vidya (wisdom), mantra, the coming (July 4, etc.)
- 明日 【アシタ】 tomorrow, near future
- 光明 【コウミョウ】 bright light, hope, bright future, light emanating from a buddha or bodhisattva, symbolizing their wisdom and compassion
- 内明 【ナイミョウ】 adhyatma vidya (one of the five sciences of ancient India), science of spirituality
- 明 【ミン】 Ming dynasty (of China; 1368-1644)
- 明楽 【ミンガク】 Ming-era Chinese music (popularized in Japan during the early 17th century)
- 胡志明 【ホーチミン】 Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969), Nguyen Tat Thanh, Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)
Kun reading compounds
- 明かり 【あかり】 light, illumination, glow, gleam, lamp, light
- 明り先 【あかりさき】 source of light
- 明るい 【あかるい】 light, well-lit, well-lighted, bright (of a colour), brightly-coloured, brightly-colored, cheerful, bright, spirited, sunny (e.g. disposition), encouraging (for the future of a project, etc.), promising, of fair prospects, familiar (with), knowledgeable (about), well versed (in), fair (e.g. politics), clean, impartial
- 明るむ 【あかるむ】 to brighten, to grow light
- 明らむ 【あからむ】 to become luminous at dawn (esp. the sky)
- 明らか 【あきらか】 clear, obvious, evident, plain, definite, bright, light
- 明らかにする 【あきらかにする】 to make clear, to clarify, to disclose, to make public
- 開ける 【あける】 to open (a door, etc.), to unwrap (e.g. parcel, package), to unlock, to open (for business, etc.), to empty, to remove, to make space, to make room, to move out, to clear out, to be away from (e.g. one's house), to leave (temporarily), to dawn, to grow light, to end (of a period, season), to begin (of the New Year), to leave (one's schedule) open, to make time (for), to make (a hole), to open up (a hole)
- 開く 【あく】 to open (e.g. doors), to open (e.g. business, etc.), to be empty, to be vacant, to be available, to be free, to be open (e.g. neckline, etc.), to have been opened (of one's eyes, mouth, etc.), to come to an end, to open (one's eyes, mouth, etc.), to have a hole, to form a gap, to have an interval (between events)
- 明くる 【あくる】 next (day, morning, etc.), following
- 明くる 【あくる】 next (day, morning, etc.), following
- あくる日 【あくるひ】 next day, following day
- 明かす 【あかす】 to pass (the night), to spend, to reveal, to divulge, to disclose, to expose, to prove, to verify
Readings
- Japanese names:
- あきら、 あけ、 あす、 きら、 け、 さや、 さやか、 とし、 はる、 み、 め
- Korean:
- myeong
Spanish
- luz
- brillo
- claridad
- listo
- inteligente
- claro
- luminoso
- iluminar
- aclarar
Portuguese
- brilhante
- luz
French
- clair
- lumière
| 141 | A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade) |
| 228 | A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot) |
| 208 | A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall) |
| 84 | A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage |
| 2110 | Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson) |
| 58 | Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill) |
| 186 | Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki) |
| 623 | Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill) |
| 3.9 | Japanese for Busy People |
| 18 | Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky) |
| 18 | Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky) |
| 106 | Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono) |
| 984 | Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide |
| 1060 | Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern) |
| 572 | Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern) |
| 756 | Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern) |
| 20 | Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette) |
| 13805 | Morohashi |
| 855 | New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern) |
| 2435 | New Nelson (John Haig) |
| 20 | Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig) |
| 20 | Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig) |
| 152 | The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley) |
| 167 | Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask) |
| 3846 | 2001 Kanji |
| 4c4.1 | The Kanji Dictionary |
| 1-4-4 | SKIP code |
| 6702.0 | Four corner code |
| 1-44-32 | JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code |
| 660e | Unicode hex code |
use, send on a mission, order, messenger, envoy, ambassador, cause
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 3
JLPT level N4
219 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers
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
- 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 |