染: the kanji for dye; stain
染 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means dye; stain. Below are its readings, 7 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
染 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
染 has 5 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 7 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
セン (sen)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 感染かんせん · kansen | infection |
| 汚染おせん · osen | pollution |
| 染料せんりょう · senryō | dye … |
そめる (someru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 染めるそめる · someru | to dye |
そまる (somaru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 染まるそまる · somaru | to be dyed |
しみる (shimiru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 染みるしみる · shimiru | to soak in; to sting |
しみ (shimi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 染みしみ · shimi | stain |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 髪を茶色に染めた。Kami o chairo ni someta.I dyed my hair brown.
- 夕日で空が赤く染まった。Yūhi de sora ga akaku somatta.The sky turned red in the setting sun.
- 傷に薬が染みて痛い。Kizu ni kusuri ga shimite itai.The medicine stings the wound.
- シャツに染みがついた。Shatsu ni shimi ga tsuita.There's a stain on my shirt.
- 手を洗って感染を防ぐ。Te o aratte kansen o fusegu.We prevent infection by washing our hands.
Questions about 染
How many strokes does 染 have?
染 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 染?
The on readings are sen (セン). The kun readings are someru (そめる), somaru (そまる), shimiru (しみる), shimi (しみ).
What JLPT level is 染?
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.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Movement and 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 染
- 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.