怪: the kanji for suspicious; mysterious
怪 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means suspicious; mysterious. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
怪 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
怪 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
カイ (kai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 怪談かいだん · kaidan | ghost story |
| 怪物かいぶつ · kaibutsu | monster |
あやしい (ayashii)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 怪しいあやしい · ayashii | suspicious; doubtful |
あやしむ (ayashimu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 怪しむあやしむ · ayashimu | to be suspicious of |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 夏の夜に怪談を聞いた。Natsu no yoru ni kaidan o kiita.I listened to ghost stories on a summer night.
- 怪しい人が家の前にいた。Ayashii hito ga ie no mae ni ita.There was a suspicious person in front of the house.
- 映画に大きな怪物が出てくる。Eiga ni ōki na kaibutsu ga dete kuru.A big monster appears in the movie.
- 空が暗くなって、天気が怪しくなってきた。Sora ga kuraku natte, tenki ga ayashiku natte kita.The sky has darkened and the weather looks doubtful.
- 店員は彼の行動を怪しんだ。Ten'in wa kare no kōdō o ayashinda.The clerk was suspicious of his behavior.
Questions about 怪
How many strokes does 怪 have?
怪 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 怪?
The on readings are kai (カイ). The kun readings are ayashii (あやしい), ayashimu (あやしむ).
What JLPT level is 怪?
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
Feelings and emotions
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 怪
- 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.