京: the kanji for capital
京 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means capital. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
京 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
京 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
キョウ (kyou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 東京とうきょう · Tōkyō | Tokyo |
| 京都きょうと · Kyōto | Kyoto |
| 上京じょうきょう · jōkyō | moving to Tokyo |
| 帰京ききょう · kikyō | returning to Tokyo |
| 東京駅とうきょうえき · Tōkyō eki | Tokyo Station |
| 京風きょうふう · kyōfū | Kyoto style |
| 在京ざいきょう · zaikyō | based in Tokyo |
ケイ (kei)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 京浜けいひん · Keihin | Tokyo–Yokohama area |
| 京阪けいはん · Keihan | Kyoto–Osaka area |
| 京葉けいよう · Keiyō | Tokyo–Chiba area |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 東京駅で待ち合わせましょう。Tōkyō eki de machiawasemashō.Let's meet at Tokyo Station.
- 週末に京都へ行きます。Shūmatsu ni Kyōto e ikimasu.I'm going to Kyoto on the weekend.
- 十八歳のときに上京しました。Jūhassai no toki ni jōkyō shimashita.I moved to Tokyo when I was eighteen.
- 明日の夜に帰京します。Ashita no yoru ni kikyō shimasu.I'll return to Tokyo tomorrow night.
- 東京の本社で研修があります。Tōkyō no honsha de kenshū ga arimasu.There is training at the Tokyo head office.
- 京浜地区に工場が多くあります。Keihin chiku ni kōjō ga ōku arimasu.There are many factories in the Keihin area.
Questions about 京
How many strokes does 京 have?
京 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 京?
The on readings are kyou (キョウ), kei (ケイ). 京 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
Why is 京 read kei in some place names?
京 is usually read kyō, as in 東京 (Tōkyō) and 京都 (Kyōto). In names that combine two regions, it is read kei: 京浜 (Keihin) is Tokyo and Yokohama, and 京阪 (Keihan) is Kyoto and Osaka.
What JLPT level is 京?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Places and buildings
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 京
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.