城: the kanji for castle
城 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means castle. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
城 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
城 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).
ジョウ (jou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 城下町じょうかまち · jōkamachi | castle town |
| 築城ちくじょう · chikujō | castle building |
| 城内じょうない · jōnai | inside the castle |
しろ (shiro)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 城しろ · shiro | castle |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 城, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 茨城県いばらきけん · Ibaraki-ken | Ibaraki Prefecture |
| 宮城県みやぎけん · Miyagi-ken | Miyagi Prefecture |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 週末に古い城を見学した。Shūmatsu ni furui shiro o kengaku shita.I visited an old castle on the weekend.
- この町は昔、城下町として栄えた。Kono machi wa mukashi, jōkamachi to shite sakaeta.This town once flourished as a castle town.
- 城内には資料館がある。Jōnai ni wa shiryōkan ga aru.There is a museum inside the castle grounds.
- 茨城県は納豆で有名だ。Ibaraki-ken wa nattō de yūmei da.Ibaraki Prefecture is famous for natto.
- 宮城県の仙台に住んでいます。Miyagi-ken no Sendai ni sunde imasu.I live in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.
Questions about 城
How many strokes does 城 have?
城 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 城?
The on readings are jou (ジョウ). The kun readings are shiro (しろ).
What JLPT level is 城?
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
Places, land and buildings
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 城
- 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.