虐: the kanji for cruel; oppress
虐 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means cruel; oppress. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
虐 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
虐 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).
ギャク (gyaku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 虐待ぎゃくたい · gyakutai | abuse |
| 残虐ざんぎゃく · zangyaku | cruel |
| 自虐じぎゃく · jigyaku | self-deprecation |
しいたげる (shiitageru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 虐げるしいたげる · shiitageru | to oppress |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 動物の虐待は許されない。Dōbutsu no gyakutai wa yurusarenai.Animal abuse is not tolerated.
- 虐げられた人々のために戦った。Shiitagerareta hitobito no tame ni tatakatta.He fought for oppressed people.
- 彼は自虐的な冗談をよく言う。Kare wa jigyakuteki na jōdan o yoku iu.He often makes self-deprecating jokes.
- 映画の残虐な場面は見なかった。Eiga no zangyaku na bamen wa minakatta.I didn't watch the cruel scenes in the movie.
- 児童虐待の相談窓口がある。Jidō gyakutai no sōdan madoguchi ga aru.There is a hotline for child abuse consultations.
Questions about 虐
How many strokes does 虐 have?
虐 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 虐?
The on readings are gyaku (ギャク). The kun readings are shiitageru (しいたげる).
What JLPT level is 虐?
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
Government, rules and society
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 虐
- 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.