ChiramiN5 kanji · 6 strokes
年 means year
年
年Real origin
It began as a person carrying grain home: one harvest, one year.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meaning
- year
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 6
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) とし toshi
とし (toshi) 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) ネン nen
ネン (nen) 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
今年 ことし · kotoshi
this year
Built from
- 丿 a sweeping stroke
- 干 dry
- 一 one
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
干 Used in 19 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 年 mean?
Right: 年 means year.Not quite: 年 means year.In 今年, which reading does 年 use?
Right. 今年 is read ことし (kotoshi): 年 takes とし, its Japanese reading.Not quite. 今年 is read ことし (kotoshi): 年 takes とし, its Japanese reading.