懲: the kanji for punish; learn a lesson
懲 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means punish; learn a lesson. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
懲 is written in 18 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
懲 has 4 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).
チョウ (chou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懲役ちょうえき · chōeki | imprisonment |
| 懲戒ちょうかい · chōkai | disciplinary action |
| 懲罰ちょうばつ · chōbatsu | disciplinary punishment |
こりる (koriru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懲りるこりる · koriru | to learn one's lesson |
こらす (korasu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懲らすこらす · korasu | to chastise |
こらしめる (korashimeru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懲らしめるこらしめる · korashimeru | to punish; to teach a lesson |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 一度失敗して懲りた。Ichido shippai shite korita.I failed once and learned my lesson.
- 犯人に懲役五年の判決が出た。Hannin ni chōeki gonen no hanketsu ga deta.The criminal was sentenced to five years in prison.
- 昔話で桃太郎が鬼を懲らしめた。Mukashibanashi de Momotarō ga oni o korashimeta.In the folktale, Momotaro punished the ogres.
- 規則を破った社員が懲戒処分を受けた。Kisoku o yabutta shain ga chōkai shobun o uketa.The employee who broke the rules was disciplined.
- …彼は性懲りもなく同じ失敗をした。Kare wa shōkori mo naku onaji shippai o shita.He made the same mistake again, without learning.
Questions about 懲
How many strokes does 懲 have?
懲 is written in 18 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 懲?
The on readings are chou (チョウ). The kun readings are koriru (こりる), korasu (こらす), korashimeru (こらしめる).
What JLPT level is 懲?
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
Government, rules and society
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 懲
- 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.