涙: the kanji for tears
涙 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means tears. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
涙 is written in 10 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
涙 has 2 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).
ルイ (rui)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 涙腺るいせん · ruisen | tear gland |
| 感涙かんるい · kanrui | tears of gratitude or joy |
なみだ (namida)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 涙なみだ · namida | tears |
| 涙ぐむなみだぐむ · namidagumu | to be moved to tears |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 映画の最後で涙が出た。Eiga no saigo de namida ga deta.I cried at the end of the movie.
- 母は手紙を読んで涙ぐんだ。Haha wa tegami o yonde namidagunda.My mother was moved to tears as she read the letter.
- 年を取ると涙腺が弱くなる。Toshi o toru to ruisen ga yowaku naru.As you get older, you cry more easily.
- 優勝した選手は感涙にむせんだ。Yūshō shita senshu wa kanrui ni musenda.The winning athlete was choked with tears of joy.
- 彼女は涙を流して喜んだ。Kanojo wa namida o nagashite yorokonda.She cried with joy.
Questions about 涙
How many strokes does 涙 have?
涙 is written in 10 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 涙?
The on readings are rui (ルイ). The kun readings are namida (なみだ).
What JLPT level is 涙?
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
Body and health
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 涙
- 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.