何: the kanji for what
何 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means what. Below are its readings, 13 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
何 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
何 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 13 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
カ (ka)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 幾何学きかがく · kikagaku | geometry |
なに (nani)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 何なに · nani | what |
| 何かなにか · nanika | something |
| 何もなにも · nanimo | nothing (with a negative) |
| 何色なにいろ · naniiro | what color |
なん (nan)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 何時なんじ · nanji | what time |
| 何人なんにん · nannin | how many people |
| 何回なんかい · nankai | how many times |
| 何日なんにち · nannichi | what day of the month; how many days |
| 何曜日なんようび · nan'yōbi | what day of the week |
| 何歳なんさい · nansai | how old |
| 何度なんど · nando | how many times; many times |
| 何本なんぼん · nanbon | how many (long objects) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 会議は何時からですか。Kaigi wa nanji kara desu ka.What time does the meeting start?
- 何か質問はありますか。Nanika shitsumon wa arimasu ka.Do you have any questions?
- 何人で予約しますか。Nannin de yoyaku shimasu ka.How many people is the reservation for?
- 今日は何曜日ですか。Kyō wa nan'yōbi desu ka.What day of the week is it today?
- 何度も説明しました。Nando mo setsumei shimashita.I explained it many times.
- 昨日は何も食べませんでした。Kinō wa nanimo tabemasen deshita.I didn't eat anything yesterday.
Questions about 何
How many strokes does 何 have?
何 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 何?
The on readings are ka (カ). The kun readings are nani (なに), nan (なん).
Is 何 read nani or nan?
Nan is used before counters, as in 何時 (nanji, what time) and 何人 (nannin, how many people). Nani is used on its own and in words such as 何か (nanika, something).
What JLPT level is 何?
N5. 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 N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Things and descriptions
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 何
- 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.