甘: the kanji for sweet; lenient
甘 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means sweet; lenient. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
甘 is written in 5 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
甘 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 5 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
カン (kan)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 甘味料かんみりょう · kanmiryō | sweetener |
| 甘言かんげん · kangen | sweet talk; flattery |
あまい (amai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 甘いあまい · amai | sweet; lenient |
あまえる (amaeru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 甘えるあまえる · amaeru | to depend on; to act like a spoiled child |
あまやかす (amayakasu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 甘やかすあまやかす · amayakasu | to spoil (a person) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- このケーキは甘すぎる。Kono kēki wa amasugiru.This cake is too sweet.
- お言葉に甘えて、先に帰らせていただきます。Okotoba ni amaete, saki ni kaerasete itadakimasu.I will take you up on your kind offer and leave first.
- 祖父母は孫を甘やかしている。Sofubo wa mago o amayakashite iru.The grandparents spoil their grandchildren.
- その考えは少し甘いと思う。Sono kangae wa sukoshi amai to omou.I think that idea is a bit naive.
- この飲み物には甘味料が入っている。Kono nomimono ni wa kanmiryō ga haitte iru.This drink contains sweetener.
Questions about 甘
How many strokes does 甘 have?
甘 is written in 5 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 甘?
The on readings are kan (カン). The kun readings are amai (あまい), amaeru (あまえる), amayakasu (あまやかす).
What JLPT level is 甘?
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
Food and cooking
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 甘
- 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.