腐: the kanji for rot; decay
腐 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means rot; decay. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
腐 is written in 14 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
腐 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 6 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
フ (fu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 腐敗ふはい · fuhai | decay; corruption |
| 豆腐とうふ · tōfu | tofu |
| 陳腐ちんぷ · chinpu | trite; stale |
くさる (kusaru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 腐るくさる · kusaru | to rot; to go bad |
くされる (kusareru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 腐れ縁くされえん · kusareen | inseparable (bad) relationship |
くさらす (kusarasu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 腐らすくさらす · kusarasu | to let rot |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 夏は食べ物が腐りやすい。Natsu wa tabemono ga kusariyasui.Food spoils easily in summer.
- みそ汁に豆腐を入れた。Misoshiru ni tōfu o ireta.I put tofu in the miso soup.
- 政治の腐敗を正す必要がある。Seiji no fuhai o tadasu hitsuyō ga aru.Political corruption needs to be corrected.
- 陳腐な表現は避けよう。Chinpu na hyōgen wa sakeyō.Let's avoid clichéd expressions.
- 野菜を冷蔵庫で腐らせてしまった。Yasai o reizōko de kusarasete shimatta.I let the vegetables go bad in the fridge.
Questions about 腐
How many strokes does 腐 have?
腐 is written in 14 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 腐?
The on readings are fu (フ). The kun readings are kusaru (くさる), kusareru (くされる), kusarasu (くさらす).
What JLPT level is 腐?
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
Qualities and conditions
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 腐
- 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.