肝: the kanji for liver; vital point
肝 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means liver; vital point. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
肝 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
肝 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).
カン (kan)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 肝臓かんぞう · kanzō | liver |
| 肝心かんじん · kanjin | essential; crucial |
きも (kimo)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 肝きも · kimo | liver; guts |
| 肝試しきもだめし · kimodameshi | test of courage |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- お酒の飲みすぎは肝臓に悪い。Osake no nomisugi wa kanzō ni warui.Drinking too much is bad for the liver.
- 何事も最初が肝心だ。Nanigoto mo saisho ga kanjin da.In everything, the beginning is what matters most.
- 夏休みに肝試しをした。Natsuyasumi ni kimodameshi o shita.We did a test of courage during summer vacation.
- その話を聞いて肝を冷やした。Sono hanashi o kiite kimo o hiyashita.Hearing that story sent a chill down my spine.
- 肝心なことを忘れていた。Kanjin na koto o wasurete ita.I had forgotten the most important thing.
Questions about 肝
How many strokes does 肝 have?
肝 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 肝?
The on readings are kan (カン). The kun readings are kimo (きも).
What JLPT level is 肝?
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 肝
- 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.