懸: the kanji for hang; stake
懸 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means hang; stake. Below are its readings, 7 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
懸 is written in 20 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
懸 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 7 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ケン (ken)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懸命けんめい · kenmei | eager; hard |
| 懸賞けんしょう · kenshō | prize; contest |
| 懸垂けんすい · kensui | chin-up |
ケ (ke)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懸念けねん · kenen | concern; worry |
かける (kakeru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懸けるかける · kakeru | to stake; to risk |
| 命懸けいのちがけ · inochigake | life-or-death |
かかる (kakaru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 懸かるかかる · kakaru | to depend on; to be at stake |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 彼は一生懸命勉強している。Kare wa isshōkenmei benkyō shite iru.He is studying very hard.
- 雑誌の懸賞に応募した。Zasshi no kenshō ni ōbo shita.I entered a magazine sweepstakes.
- …景気の悪化が懸念されている。Keiki no akka ga kenen sarete iru.There are concerns about the economy worsening.
- 命懸けで子どもを守った。Inochigake de kodomo o mamotta.She protected the child at the risk of her life.
- この試合に優勝が懸かっている。Kono shiai ni yūshō ga kakatte iru.The championship depends on this game.
Questions about 懸
How many strokes does 懸 have?
懸 is written in 20 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 懸?
The on readings are ken (ケン), ke (ケ). The kun readings are kakeru (かける), kakaru (かかる).
What JLPT level is 懸?
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
Movement and actions
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 懸
- 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.