ChiramiN4 kanji · 5 strokes
代 means replace, generation
亻 person · 弋 a post
代Memory trick
A person standing in at the post: to replace, a generation.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- substitute, change, convert, replace
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 5
- School grade
- Grade 3 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) かわる kawaru
かわる (kawaru) 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.
Other Japanese readings: かわり kawari, かえる kaeru, よ yo
From Chinese (onyomi) ダイ dai
ダイ (dai) 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: タイ tai
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
代わり かわり · kawari
substitute, replacement
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
弋 Used in 9 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 代 mean?
Right: 代 means replace, generation.Not quite: 代 means replace, generation.In 代わり, which reading does 代 use?
Right. 代わり is read かわり (kawari): 代 takes か, its Japanese reading, with わり after it.Not quite. 代わり is read かわり (kawari): 代 takes か, its Japanese reading, with わり after it.