玄: the kanji for black; profound
玄 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means black; profound. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
玄 is written in 5 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
玄 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ゲン (gen)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 玄関げんかん · genkan | entrance; front door |
| 玄米げんまい · genmai | brown rice |
| 幽玄ゆうげん · yūgen | subtle and profound beauty |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 玄, 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 |
|---|---|
| 玄人くろうと · kurōto | expert; professional |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 玄関で靴を脱いでください。Genkan de kutsu o nuide kudasai.Please take off your shoes at the entrance.
- 健康のために玄米を食べている。Kenkō no tame ni genmai o tabete iru.I eat brown rice for my health.
- 彼の料理の腕は玄人並みだ。Kare no ryōri no ude wa kurōtonami da.His cooking skills are on par with a professional's.
- 能には幽玄の美がある。Nō ni wa yūgen no bi ga aru.Noh has a subtle and profound beauty.
- 玄関に花を飾った。Genkan ni hana o kazatta.I put flowers in the entrance.
Questions about 玄
How many strokes does 玄 have?
玄 is written in 5 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 玄?
The on readings are gen (ゲン). 玄 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 玄?
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
Science, materials and colors
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 玄
- 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.