Jisho

×

12 strokes
Radical:
say
Parts:
Variants:
utmost, most, extreme
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 4
JLPT level N3
82 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 最 【サイ】 the most, the extreme, prime, conspicuous
  • 最悪 【サイアク】 worst, horrible, horrid, awful, terrible, in the worst case, if worst comes to worst

Kun reading compounds

  • 最も 【もっとも】 most, extremely
  • 最も近い共通祖先 【もっともちかいきょうつうそせん】 most recent common ancestor

Readings

Japanese names:
Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
zui4
Korean:
choe

Spanish

  • prefijo para superlativo
  • más
  • sumamente
  • extremadamente

Portuguese

  • Capacidade máxima
  • maior
  • extremo

French

  • le plus
  • ultra-
  • extrême
402 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade)
510 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
484 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
121 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
2146 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
291 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
612 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
1742 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
3.11 Japanese for Busy People
263 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
263 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
439 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
1000 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
3120 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
1599 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2181 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
829 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
14301 Morohashi
2472 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2492 New Nelson (John Haig)
821 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
884 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
99 The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley)
587 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
3867 2001 Kanji
4c8.10 The Kanji Dictionary
2-4-8 SKIP code
6014.7 Four corner code
1-26-39 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
6700 Unicode hex code

17 strokes
Radical:
man, human 人 (亻)
Parts:
tenderness, excel, surpass, actor, superiority, gentleness
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

7 strokes
Radical:
grain
Parts:
excel, excellence, beauty, surpass
Jōyō kanji, taught in junior high
JLPT level N1
848 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 秀 【シュウ】 preeminence, supremacy, distinction, excellence
  • 秀作 【シュウサク】 excellent (piece of) work
  • 閨秀 【ケイシュウ】 accomplished lady, talented woman, eminent woman
  • 清秀 【セイシュウ】 having refined and distinguished features, having a bright face

Kun reading compounds

  • 秀でる 【ひいでる】 to excel, to surpass, to be superior, to be better (than others at something), to be conspicuous (esp. forehead and eyebrows), to be prominent, to stand out

Readings

Japanese names:
しゅ、 しょう、 ひで、 ひでし、 ほ
Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
xiu4
Korean:
su

Spanish

  • sobresaliente
  • excelente
  • sobresalir
  • sobrepasar

Portuguese

  • superar
  • excelência
  • beleza
  • superação

French

  • excellence
  • exceller
  • beauté
  • dépasser
1355 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
859 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
3263 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
973 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
1582 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
726 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
1683 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
1798 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
1171 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
1429 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
3152 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
1616 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2202 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
923 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
24911 Morohashi
2545 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
4123 New Nelson (John Haig)
914 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
980 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
1142 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
2245 2001 Kanji
5d2.4 The Kanji Dictionary
2-5-2 SKIP code
2-1-7 SKIP code
2-1-6 SKIP code
2-5-3 SKIP code
2022.7 Four corner code
1-29-08 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
79c0 Unicode hex code

15 strokes (also 14)
Radical:
walk 辵 (辶, ⻌, ⻍)
Parts:
elect, select, choose, prefer
Kun:
えら.ぶえ.るよ.る
On:
セン
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 4
JLPT level N3
57 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 選 【セン】 selection, choice, choosing, picking, election
  • 選挙 【センキョ】 election
  • 抽選 【チュウセン】 lottery, raffle, drawing (of lots)
  • 公選 【コウセン】 public election, election by popular vote

Kun reading compounds

  • 選ぶ 【えらぶ】 to choose, to select
  • 選ぶところがない 【えらぶところがない】 being the same thing (as), being indistinguishable (from)
  • 選る 【よる】 to choose, to select, to pick out
  • 選る 【よる】 to choose, to select, to pick out

Readings

Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
xuan3
Korean:
seon

Spanish

  • elegir
  • seleccionar

Portuguese

  • eleger
  • selecionar
  • escolher
  • preferir

French

  • élection
  • sélection
  • choisir
  • préférer
449 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade)
556 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
527 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
105 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
4744 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
522 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
967 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
2419 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
800 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
814 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
264 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
721 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
3931 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2026 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2734 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
1822 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
39127P Morohashi
3169 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
6114 New Nelson (John Haig)
1804 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
1944 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
341 The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley)
626 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
3561 2001 Kanji
2q12.3 The Kanji Dictionary
3-3-12 SKIP code
3-2-12 SKIP code
3730.8 Four corner code
1-33-10 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
9078 Unicode hex code

4 strokes
Radical:
hand 手 (扌龵)
Parts:
hand
Kun:
て--てた-
On:
シュ
Jōyō kanji, taught in grade 1
JLPT level N4
60 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Speed

Stroke order

On reading compounds

  • 手術 【シュジュツ】 surgery, operation, procedure, skill with one's hands, sleight of hand
  • 手記 【シュキ】 note, memorandum, memo, memoirs, personal account
  • 二塁手 【ニルイシュ】 second baseman
  • 名手 【メイシュ】 master, expert, brilliant move (in go, shogi, etc.), excellent move
  • 交際上手 【コウサイジョウズ】 good at socializing, sociability, being a good mixer
  • 処世上手 【ショセイジョウズ】 knowing how to get on in the world, knowing the secret of success in life

Kun reading compounds

  • 手 【て】 hand, arm, forepaw, foreleg, handle, hand, worker, help, trouble, care, effort, means, way, trick, move, technique, workmanship, hand, handwriting, kind, type, sort, one's hands, one's possession, ability to cope, hand (of cards), direction, move (in go, shogi, etc.)
  • 手足 【てあし】 hands and feet, limbs, person at one's beck and call, person at hand, reliable worker
  • 逆手 【ぎゃくて】 underhand grip, backhand grip (e.g. in tennis), unexpected twist, turning the tables (on an opponent)
  • 担い手 【にないて】 bearer, carrier, person bearing responsibility, person in charge, supporter

Readings

Mandarin Chinese (pinyin):
shou3
Korean:
su

Spanish

  • mano

Portuguese

  • mão

French

  • main
28 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese (Florence Sakade)
35 A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 3rd edition (Henshall, Seeley and De Groot)
32 A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters (Kenneth G. Henshall)
42 A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage
1827 Classic Nelson (Andrew Nelson)
37 Essential Kanji (P.G. O’Neill)
54 Japanese Kanji Flashcards (Max Hodges and Tomoko Okazaki)
118 Japanese Names (P.G. O’Neill)
2.19 Japanese for Busy People
57 Kanji and Kana (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
57 Kanji and Kana, 2nd Edition (Spahn and Hadamitzky)
170 Kanji in Context (Nishiguchi and Kono)
847 Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide
4267 Kodansha Kanji Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2155 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2907 Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Jack Halpern)
644 Les Kanjis dans la tete (Yves Maniette)
11768 Morohashi
3456 New Japanese English Character Dictionary (Jack Halpern)
2060 New Nelson (John Haig)
637 Remembering The Kanji (James Heisig)
687 Remembering The Kanji, 6th edition (James Heisig)
57 The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power (Dale Crowley)
30 Tuttle Kanji Cards (Alexander Kask)
2247 2001 Kanji
3c0.1 The Kanji Dictionary
4-4-3 SKIP code
2-1-3 SKIP code
2050.0 Four corner code
1-28-74 JIS X 0208-1997 kuten code
624b Unicode hex code