話: the kanji for talk and story
話 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means talk, story. Below are its readings, 12 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
話 is written in 13 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
話 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 12 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ワ (wa)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 電話でんわ · denwa | telephone; phone call |
| 会話かいわ · kaiwa | conversation |
| 話題わだい · wadai | topic |
| 世話せわ · sewa | care; help |
| 対話たいわ · taiwa | talks; conversation |
| 童話どうわ · dōwa | fairy tale |
| 通話つうわ · tsūwa | phone call |
はなす (hanasu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 話すはなす · hanasu | to speak; to talk |
| 話し合いはなしあい · hanashiai | discussion |
はなし (hanashi)
Kun reading. It becomes banashi at the end of some words.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 話はなし · hanashi | story; talk |
| 昔話むかしばなし · mukashibanashi | old tale |
| 立ち話たちばなし · tachibanashi | chatting while standing |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 後で電話します。Ato de denwa shimasu.I'll call you later.
- 大事な話があります。Daiji na hanashi ga arimasu.There's something important I need to talk about.
- 日本語で話してみてください。Nihongo de hanashite mite kudasai.Please try speaking in Japanese.
- いつもお世話になっております。Itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu.Thank you for your continued support.
- チームで話し合いをしました。Chīmu de hanashiai o shimashita.We had a discussion as a team.
- 最近の話題について話しましょう。Saikin no wadai ni tsuite hanashimashō.Let's talk about recent topics.
Questions about 話
How many strokes does 話 have?
話 is written in 13 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 話?
The on readings are wa (ワ). The kun readings are hanasu (はなす), hanashi (はなし).
What does いつもお世話になっております mean?
It is a standard opening for business emails and calls. It thanks the other person for their ongoing support. 世話 (sewa) means care or help.
What JLPT level is 話?
N5. 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 N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Actions
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 話
- 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.