油: the kanji for oil
油 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means oil. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
油 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
油 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).
ユ (yu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 石油せきゆ · sekiyu | oil; petroleum |
| 油田ゆでん · yuden | oil field |
| 灯油とうゆ · tōyu | kerosene |
あぶら (abura)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 油あぶら · abura | oil |
| 油絵あぶらえ · aburae | oil painting |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- フライパンに油をひいた。Furaipan ni abura o hiita.I put oil in the frying pan.
- 日本は石油の多くを輸入している。Nihon wa sekiyu no ōku o yunyū shite iru.Japan imports much of its oil.
- 冬に備えて灯油を買った。Fuyu ni sonaete tōyu o katta.I bought kerosene to prepare for winter.
- 趣味で油絵を描いている。Shumi de aburae o kaite iru.I paint in oils as a hobby.
- 油断していたら試合に負けた。Yudan shite itara shiai ni maketa.We let our guard down and lost the game.
Questions about 油
How many strokes does 油 have?
油 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 油?
The on readings are yu (ユ). The kun readings are abura (あぶら).
What JLPT level is 油?
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
Food and cooking
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 油
- 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.