調: the kanji for investigate, look up; tone, condition; arrange
調 is the kanji of checking and adjusting. You will see it in 調べる (to look up), 調子 (condition) and 調整 (adjustment).
Stroke order
調 is written in 15 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
調 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 16 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
チョウ (chou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 調査ちょうさ · chōsa | survey; investigation |
| 調子ちょうし · chōshi | condition; how something is working |
| 体調たいちょう · taichō | physical condition; how you feel |
| 順調じゅんちょう · junchō | going smoothly |
| 調整ちょうせい · chōsei | adjustment; coordination |
| 強調きょうちょう · kyōchō | emphasis |
| 調理ちょうり · chōri | cooking |
| 調味料ちょうみりょう · chōmiryō | seasoning |
| 空調くうちょう · kūchō | air conditioning |
| 単調たんちょう · tanchō | monotonous |
| 口調くちょう · kuchō | tone of voice |
しらべる (shiraberu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 調べるしらべる · shiraberu | to look up; to check; to investigate |
| 調べ物しらべもの · shirabemono | looking things up; research |
| 下調べしたしらべ · shitashirabe | preliminary research; preparation |
ととのう (totonou)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 調うととのう · totonou | to be ready; to be arranged |
ととのえる (totonoeru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 調えるととのえる · totonoeru | to prepare; to adjust (taste, arrangements) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 分からない言葉は辞書で調べます。Wakaranai kotoba wa jisho de shirabemasu.I look up words I don't know in the dictionary.
- 今日は体調がいいです。Kyō wa taichō ga ii desu.I feel well today.
- 仕事は順調に進んでいます。Shigoto wa junchō ni susunde imasu.Work is going smoothly.
- 会議の時間を調整しましょう。Kaigi no jikan o chōsei shimashō.Let's adjust the meeting time.
- 最近、パソコンの調子が悪いです。Saikin, pasokon no chōshi ga warui desu.My computer hasn't been working well lately.
- 駅までの道を地図で調べました。Eki made no michi o chizu de shirabemashita.I checked the way to the station on a map.
- 塩で味を調えてください。Shio de aji o totonoete kudasai.Please season it with salt.
- アンケートの調査結果が出ました。Ankēto no chōsa kekka ga demashita.The survey results are out.
Questions about 調
How many strokes does 調 have?
調 is written in 15 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 調?
The on readings are chou (チョウ). The kun readings are shiraberu (しらべる), totonou (ととのう), totonoeru (ととのえる).
What is the difference between 調べる and 探す?
調べる (shiraberu) means to look into information, as in 辞書で調べる (jisho de shiraberu, to look it up in a dictionary). 探す (sagasu) means to search for something you want to find, as in 鍵を探す (kagi o sagasu, to look for your keys).
How do you say "I'm not feeling well" in Japanese?
体調が悪いです (taichō ga warui desu). For a machine that is not working well, say 調子が悪いです (chōshi ga warui desu).
Is 調える the same as 整える?
Both are read totonoeru. 調える is used for getting things ready or adjusting them to a good state, as in 味を調える (aji o totonoeru, to adjust the seasoning). 整える is used for putting things in order, as in 身なりを整える (minari o totonoeru, to tidy your appearance).
What JLPT level is 調?
N3. 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 N3 falls between the former Levels 2 and 3.
More JLPT N3 kanji
Study and communication
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 調
- 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.