厄: the kanji for misfortune; bad luck
厄 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means misfortune; bad luck. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
厄 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
厄 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ヤク (yaku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 厄年やくどし · yakudoshi | unlucky year |
| 厄介やっかい · yakkai | troublesome |
| 厄払いやくばらい · yakubarai | exorcism of bad luck |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 今年は厄年なので神社にお参りした。Kotoshi wa yakudoshi na node jinja ni omairi shita.This is my unlucky year, so I visited a shrine.
- 厄介な問題が起きた。Yakkai na mondai ga okita.A troublesome problem came up.
- お寺で厄払いをしてもらった。Otera de yakubarai o shite moratta.I had a ritual to ward off bad luck at the temple.
- 友達の家に一晩厄介になった。Tomodachi no ie ni hitoban yakkai ni natta.I stayed overnight at a friend's house.
- この機械は扱いが厄介だ。Kono kikai wa atsukai ga yakkai da.This machine is hard to handle.
Questions about 厄
How many strokes does 厄 have?
厄 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 厄?
The on readings are yaku (ヤク). 厄 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 厄?
N1. 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 N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Study, language and culture
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 厄
- 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.