輝: the kanji for shine; sparkle

輝 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means shine; sparkle. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.

shine; sparkleMeaning

キOn reading

かがやくKun reading

15Strokes

Stroke order

輝 is written in 15 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.

Words by reading

輝 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 5 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).

キ (ki)

On reading.

Word	Meaning
光輝こうき · kōki	brilliance; glory
輝度きど · kido	brightness

かがやく (kagayaku)

Kun reading.

Word	Meaning
輝くかがやく · kagayaku	to shine; to sparkle
輝きかがやき · kagayaki	brilliance
輝かしいかがやかしい · kagayakashii	brilliant; glorious

Example sentences for work and daily life

夜空に星が輝いている。Yozora ni hoshi ga kagayaite iru.Stars are shining in the night sky.
子どもたちの目が輝いていた。Kodomotachi no me ga kagayaite ita.The children's eyes were sparkling.
彼は輝かしい成績を残した。Kare wa kagayakashii seiseki o nokoshita.He left a brilliant record.
画面の輝度を下げた。Gamen no kido o sageta.I lowered the screen brightness.
ダイヤモンドの輝きに見とれた。Daiyamondo no kagayaki ni mitoreta.I was captivated by the diamond's sparkle.

Questions about 輝

How many strokes does 輝 have?

輝 is written in 15 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.

What are the readings of 輝?

The on readings are ki (キ). The kun readings are kagayaku (かがやく).

What JLPT level is 輝?

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.