N4 kanji · 8 strokes
京 means capital
京
京Real origin
It began as a tall building on a hill: the capital.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meaning
- capital
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 8
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) みやこ miyako
みやこ (miyako) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
From Chinese (onyomi) キョウ kyou
キョウ (kyou) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: ケイ kei, キン kin
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
上京 じょうきょう · joukyou
going to the capital, going to Tokyo
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
亠 Used in 156 kanji
See all 16 at N5 and N4小 Used in 128 kanji
See all 6 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 京 mean?
Right: 京 means capital.Not quite: 京 means capital.In 上京, which reading does 京 use?
Right. 上京 is read じょうきょう (joukyou): 京 takes キョウ, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 上京 is read じょうきょう (joukyou): 京 takes キョウ, its reading from Chinese.