禅: the kanji for Zen

禅 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means Zen. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.

ZenMeaning

ゼンOn reading

—Kun reading

13Strokes

Stroke order

禅 is written in 13 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.

Words by reading

禅 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).

ゼン (zen)

On reading.

Word	Meaning
禅ぜん · zen	Zen (Buddhism)
座禅ざぜん · zazen	Zen meditation
禅寺ぜんでら · zendera	Zen temple

Example sentences for work and daily life

京都のお寺で座禅を体験した。Kyōto no otera de zazen o taiken shita.I tried Zen meditation at a temple in Kyoto.
禅の考え方に興味がある。Zen no kangaekata ni kyōmi ga aru.I'm interested in Zen thinking.
山の中に古い禅寺がある。Yama no naka ni furui zendera ga aru.There is an old Zen temple in the mountains.
毎朝十分間、座禅を組んでいる。Maiasa juppunkan, zazen o kunde iru.I sit in Zen meditation for ten minutes every morning.
…
禅の庭は静かで美しい。Zen no niwa wa shizuka de utsukushii.Zen gardens are quiet and beautiful.

Questions about 禅

How many strokes does 禅 have?

禅 is written in 13 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.

What are the readings of 禅?

The on readings are zen (ゼン). 禅 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.

What JLPT level is 禅?

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.