荒: the kanji for rough; wild
荒 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means rough; wild. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
荒 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
荒 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
コウ (kou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 荒野こうや · kōya | wilderness |
あらい (arai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 荒いあらい · arai | rough; violent |
あれる (areru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 荒れるあれる · areru | to be rough; to be stormy |
あらす (arasu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 荒らすあらす · arasu | to damage; to ravage |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 台風で海が荒れている。Taifū de umi ga arete iru.The sea is rough because of the typhoon.
- 彼は言葉づかいが荒い。Kare wa kotobazukai ga arai.He uses rough language.
- 冬は手が荒れやすい。Fuyu wa te ga areyasui.Hands easily get chapped in winter.
- 畑をイノシシに荒らされた。Hatake o inoshishi ni arasareta.The field was damaged by wild boars.
- 映画の舞台は広い荒野だった。Eiga no butai wa hiroi kōya datta.The film was set in a vast wilderness.
Questions about 荒
How many strokes does 荒 have?
荒 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 荒?
The on readings are kou (コウ). The kun readings are arai (あらい), areru (あれる), arasu (あらす).
What JLPT level is 荒?
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
Qualities and conditions
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 荒
- 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.