親: the kanji for parent and intimate
親 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means parent, intimate. Below are its readings, 13 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
親 is written in 16 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
親 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 13 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
シン (shin)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 親切しんせつ · shinsetsu | kind |
| 両親りょうしん · ryōshin | parents |
| 親友しんゆう · shin'yū | close friend |
| 親戚しんせき · shinseki | relatives |
| 親族しんぞく · shinzoku | relatives |
| 親善しんぜん · shinzen | goodwill |
おや (oya)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 親おや · oya | parent |
| 親子おやこ · oyako | parent and child |
| 父親ちちおや · chichioya | father |
| 母親ははおや · hahaoya | mother |
| 親指おやゆび · oyayubi | thumb |
したしい (shitashii)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 親しいしたしい · shitashii | close; friendly |
したしむ (shitashimu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 親しむしたしむ · shitashimu | to become familiar with |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 両親はアメリカに住んでいます。Ryōshin wa Amerika ni sunde imasu.My parents live in the United States.
- 皆さん、とても親切です。Minasan, totemo shinsetsu desu.Everyone is very kind.
- 彼とは大学時代からの親しい友人です。Kare to wa daigaku jidai kara no shitashii yūjin desu.He and I have been close friends since college.
- 週末は親子で公園に行きます。Shūmatsu wa oyako de kōen ni ikimasu.On weekends, I go to the park with my kids.
- 母親が日本に遊びに来ます。Hahaoya ga Nihon ni asobi ni kimasu.My mother is coming to visit Japan.
- 日本の文化に親しんでもらいたいです。Nihon no bunka ni shitashinde moraitai desu.I want people to get to know Japanese culture.
Questions about 親
How many strokes does 親 have?
親 is written in 16 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 親?
The on readings are shin (シン). The kun readings are oya (おや), shitashii (したしい), shitashimu (したしむ).
What is the difference between 親 and 両親?
親 (oya) means a parent, one or both. 両親 (ryōshin) means both parents together, and it is the more polite word when talking about your parents.
What JLPT level is 親?
N4. 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 N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
People and family
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 親
- 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.