眼: the kanji for eye
眼 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means eye. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
眼 is written in 11 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
眼 has 3 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).
ガン (gan)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 眼科がんか · ganka | ophthalmology; eye clinic |
| 肉眼にくがん · nikugan | naked eye … |
ゲン (gen)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 開眼かいげん · kaigen | eye-opening ceremony (for a Buddha statue) |
まなこ (manako)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 血眼ちまなこ · chimanako | frantically (lit. bloodshot eyes) |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 眼, 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 |
|---|---|
| 眼鏡めがね · megane | glasses |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 目がかゆいので眼科に行った。Me ga kayui node ganka ni itta.My eyes were itchy, so I went to an eye clinic.
- その星は肉眼でも見える。Sono hoshi wa nikugan demo mieru.That star can be seen with the naked eye.
- 眼鏡をかけて新聞を読む。Megane o kakete shinbun o yomu.I put on my glasses to read the newspaper.
- なくした財布を血眼になって探した。Nakushita saifu o chimanako ni natte sagashita.I searched frantically for my lost wallet.
- 大仏の開眼の儀式が行われた。Daibutsu no kaigen no gishiki ga okonawareta.An eye-opening ceremony was held for the great Buddha statue.
Questions about 眼
How many strokes does 眼 have?
眼 is written in 11 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 眼?
The on readings are gan (ガン), gen (ゲン). The kun readings are manako (まなこ).
What JLPT level is 眼?
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
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 眼
- 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.