炭: the kanji for charcoal; coal
炭 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means charcoal; coal. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
炭 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
炭 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).
タン (tan)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 石炭せきたん · sekitan | coal |
| 炭酸たんさん · tansan | carbonic acid; carbonation |
| 二酸化炭素にさんかたんそ · nisanka tanso | carbon dioxide |
すみ (sumi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 炭すみ · sumi | charcoal |
| 炭火すみび · sumibi | charcoal fire |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 冷たい炭酸の飲み物が飲みたい。Tsumetai tansan no nomimono ga nomitai.I want a cold fizzy drink.
- 昔、この町では石炭をとっていた。Mukashi, kono machi de wa sekitan o totte ita.Long ago, coal was mined in this town.
- 炭火で焼いた魚はおいしい。Sumibi de yaita sakana wa oishii.Fish grilled over charcoal is delicious.
- 二酸化炭素を減らす努力が必要だ。Nisanka tanso o herasu doryoku ga hitsuyō da.We need to work to reduce carbon dioxide.
- バーベキューの炭に火をつけた。Bābekyū no sumi ni hi o tsuketa.I lit the charcoal for the barbecue.
Questions about 炭
How many strokes does 炭 have?
炭 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 炭?
The on readings are tan (タン). The kun readings are sumi (すみ).
What JLPT level is 炭?
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
Science, materials and colors
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 炭
- 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.