谷: the kanji for valley
谷 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means valley. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
谷 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
谷 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).
コク (koku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 渓谷けいこく · keikoku | ravine; gorge |
| 峡谷きょうこく · kyōkoku | canyon; gorge |
たに (tani)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 谷たに · tani | valley |
| 谷間たにま · tanima | valley; ravine |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 秋の渓谷は紅葉がきれいだ。Aki no keikoku wa kōyō ga kirei da.The autumn leaves in the gorge are beautiful.
- 深い谷に橋がかかっている。Fukai tani ni hashi ga kakatte iru.A bridge spans the deep valley.
- 山と山の谷間に小さな村がある。Yama to yama no tanima ni chiisana mura ga aru.There is a small village in the valley between the mountains.
- アメリカの大きな峡谷を見に行った。Amerika no ōkina kyōkoku o mi ni itta.I went to see a huge canyon in the United States.
- 人生には山もあれば谷もある。Jinsei ni wa yama mo areba tani mo aru.Life has its ups and downs.
Questions about 谷
How many strokes does 谷 have?
谷 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 谷?
The on readings are koku (コク). The kun readings are tani (たに).
What JLPT level is 谷?
N2. 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 N2 is designed to match the former Level 2.
More JLPT N2 kanji
Nature, weather and animals
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 谷
- 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.