ChiramiN5 kanji · 7 strokes
何 means what
何
亻 person · 可 can, may
何Memory trick
A person asking: can I (可)…? What?
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meaning
- what
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 7
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) なに nani
なに (nani) 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: なん nan
From Chinese (onyomi) カ ka
カ (ka) 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
何か なにか · nanika
something, some
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
Quick check
What does 何 mean?
Right: 何 means what.Not quite: 何 means what.In 何か, which reading does 何 use?
Right. 何か is read なにか (nanika): 何 takes なに, its Japanese reading.Not quite. 何か is read なにか (nanika): 何 takes なに, its Japanese reading.