紅: the kanji for crimson; deep red
紅 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means crimson; deep red. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
紅 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
紅 has 4 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).
コウ (kou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 紅茶こうちゃ · kōcha | black tea |
| 紅白こうはく · kōhaku | red and white |
ク (ku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 真紅しんく · shinku | deep crimson |
べに (beni)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 口紅くちべに · kuchibeni | lipstick |
くれない (kurenai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 紅くれない · kurenai | crimson (literary) |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 紅, 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 |
|---|---|
| 紅葉もみじ · momiji | maple; autumn leaves |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 紅茶にミルクを入れて飲む。Kōcha ni miruku o irete nomu.I drink black tea with milk.
- お祝いに紅白のまんじゅうをもらった。Oiwai ni kōhaku no manjū o moratta.I received red and white buns as a celebration gift.
- 母の誕生日に口紅をプレゼントした。Haha no tanjōbi ni kuchibeni o purezento shita.I gave my mother lipstick for her birthday.
- 真紅のバラが咲いている。Shinku no bara ga saite iru.Deep crimson roses are blooming.
- 山の紅葉がとてもきれいだ。Yama no momiji ga totemo kirei da.The autumn maples on the mountain are very beautiful.
Questions about 紅
How many strokes does 紅 have?
紅 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 紅?
The on readings are kou (コウ), ku (ク). The kun readings are beni (べに), kurenai (くれない).
What JLPT level is 紅?
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 紅
- 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.