綿: the kanji for cotton
綿 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means cotton. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
綿 is written in 14 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
綿 has 2 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).
メン (men)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 綿めん · men | cotton |
| 綿密めんみつ · menmitsu | detailed; careful |
| 綿棒めんぼう · menbō | cotton swab |
わた (wata)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 綿わた · wata | cotton wool; stuffing |
| 綿菓子わたがし · watagashi | cotton candy |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 綿, 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 |
|---|---|
| 木綿もめん · momen | cotton |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- このシャツは綿でできている。Kono shatsu wa men de dekite iru.This shirt is made of cotton.
- 旅行の計画を綿密に立てた。Ryokō no keikaku o menmitsu ni tateta.I planned the trip carefully.
- お祭りで綿菓子を買った。Omatsuri de watagashi o katta.I bought cotton candy at the festival.
- ぬいぐるみに綿を詰めた。Nuigurumi ni wata o tsumeta.I stuffed the plush toy with cotton.
- 木綿のタオルは肌に優しい。Momen no taoru wa hada ni yasashii.Cotton towels are gentle on the skin.
Questions about 綿
How many strokes does 綿 have?
綿 is written in 14 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 綿?
The on readings are men (メン). The kun readings are wata (わた).
What JLPT level is 綿?
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
Home, clothing and daily life
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 綿
- 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.