憎: the kanji for hate
憎 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means hate. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
憎 is written in 14 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
憎 has 5 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 6 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ゾウ (zou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 憎悪ぞうお · zōo | hatred |
| 愛憎あいぞう · aizō | love and hate |
にくむ (nikumu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 憎むにくむ · nikumu | to hate |
にくい (nikui)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 憎いにくい · nikui | hateful |
にくらしい (nikurashii)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 憎らしいにくらしい · nikurashii | hateful; annoying |
にくしみ (nikushimi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 憎しみにくしみ · nikushimi | hatred |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 罪を憎んで人を憎まず。Tsumi o nikunde hito o nikumazu.Hate the sin, not the sinner.
- 憎しみからは何も生まれない。Nikushimi kara wa nani mo umarenai.Nothing good comes from hatred.
- 弟は時々憎らしいことを言う。Otōto wa tokidoki nikurashii koto o iu.My younger brother sometimes says annoying things.
- この小説は家族の愛憎を描いている。Kono shōsetsu wa kazoku no aizō o egaite iru.This novel depicts love and hate within a family.
- 戦争は人々の心に憎悪を残した。Sensō wa hitobito no kokoro ni zōo o nokoshita.The war left hatred in people's hearts.
Questions about 憎
How many strokes does 憎 have?
憎 is written in 14 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 憎?
The on readings are zou (ゾウ). The kun readings are nikumu (にくむ), nikui (にくい), nikurashii (にくらしい), nikushimi (にくしみ).
What JLPT level is 憎?
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
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 憎
- 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.