気: the kanji for spirit and air
気 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means spirit, air. Below are its readings, 17 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
気 is written in 6 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
気 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 15 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
キ (ki)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 天気てんき · tenki | weather |
| 元気げんき · genki | healthy; energetic |
| 気分きぶん · kibun | mood; feeling |
| 電気でんき · denki | electricity; lights |
| 人気にんき · ninki | popularity |
| 空気くうき · kūki | air |
| 景気けいき · keiki | the economy; business conditions |
| 気温きおん · kion | temperature (of the air) |
| 病気びょうき · byōki | illness |
| 気持ちきもち · kimochi | feeling |
| 雰囲気ふんいき · fun'iki | atmosphere |
| 気を付けるきをつける · ki o tsukeru | to be careful |
ケ (ke)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 気配けはい · kehai | sign; hint |
| 湿気しっけ · shikke | humidity |
| 火の気ひのけ · hi no ke | sign of fire |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 気, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 意気地いくじ · ikuji | backbone; courage |
| 浮気うわき · uwaki | cheating (in a relationship) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- お元気ですか。Ogenki desu ka.How are you?
- 最近、景気がいいです。Saikin, keiki ga ii desu.The economy has been good lately.
- 帰る前に電気を消してください。Kaeru mae ni denki o keshite kudasai.Please turn off the lights before you leave.
- 気を付けて帰ってください。Ki o tsukete kaette kudasai.Take care on your way home.
- この会社は雰囲気がいいです。Kono kaisha wa fun'iki ga ii desu.This company has a good atmosphere.
- 今日は湿気が多いです。Kyō wa shikke ga ōi desu.It's humid today.
Questions about 気
How many strokes does 気 have?
気 is written in 6 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 気?
The on readings are ki (キ), ke (ケ). 気 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What does 気を付けて mean?
気を付けて (ki o tsukete) means "Be careful" or "Take care." People often say it when someone is leaving.
What JLPT level is 気?
N5. 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 N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Things and descriptions
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 気
- 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.