N4 kanji · 8 strokes
林 means grove, woods
林
木 a tree · 木 another tree
林Real origin
Two trees side by side: a grove.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- grove, forest
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 8
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) はやし hayashi
はやし (hayashi) 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) リン rin
リン (rin) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
森林 しんりん · shinrin
forest, woods
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
Quick check
What does 林 mean?
Right: 林 means grove, woods.Not quite: 林 means grove, woods.In 森林, which reading does 林 use?
Right. 森林 is read しんりん (shinrin): 林 takes リン, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 森林 is read しんりん (shinrin): 林 takes リン, its reading from Chinese.