坂: the kanji for slope; hill
坂 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means slope; hill. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
坂 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
坂 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 5 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ハン (han)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 急坂きゅうはん · kyūhan | steep slope |
さか (saka)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 坂さか · saka | slope; hill |
| 坂道さかみち · sakamichi | sloping road |
| 上り坂のぼりざか · noborizaka | uphill slope |
| 下り坂くだりざか · kudarizaka | downhill slope |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 駅から家までずっと上り坂だ。Eki kara ie made zutto noborizaka da.It is uphill all the way from the station to my house.
- 雨の日は坂道で滑らないように気をつけて。Ame no hi wa sakamichi de suberanai yō ni ki o tsukete.On rainy days, be careful not to slip on the slope.
- 自転車で坂を下りた。Jitensha de saka o orita.I rode my bicycle down the hill.
- この先は急坂なのでスピードを落としてください。Kono saki wa kyūhan na node supīdo o otoshite kudasai.There is a steep slope ahead, so please slow down.
- 天気は明日から下り坂になるそうだ。Tenki wa ashita kara kudarizaka ni naru sō da.They say the weather will take a turn for the worse from tomorrow.
Questions about 坂
How many strokes does 坂 have?
坂 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 坂?
The on readings are han (ハン). The kun readings are saka (さか).
What JLPT level is 坂?
N2. 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 N2 is designed to match the former Level 2.
More JLPT N2 kanji
Places, land 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 坂
- 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.