赤: the kanji for red
赤 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means red. Below are its readings, 12 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
赤 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
赤 has 6 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 11 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
セキ (seki)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 赤道せきどう · sekidō | equator |
| 赤十字せきじゅうじ · sekijūji | Red Cross |
| 赤外線せきがいせん · sekigaisen | infrared |
あか (aka)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 赤あか · aka | red |
| 赤字あかじ · akaji | deficit |
| 赤ちゃんあかちゃん · akachan | baby |
| 赤信号あかしんごう · akashingō | red light |
| 赤ワインあかわいん · aka wain | red wine |
あかい (akai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 赤いあかい · akai | red |
あからむ (akaramu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 赤らむあからむ · akaramu | to turn red |
あからめる (akarameru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 赤らめるあからめる · akarameru | to blush |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 赤, 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 |
|---|---|
| 真っ赤まっか · makka | bright red |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 赤信号で止まってください。Akashingō de tomatte kudasai.Please stop at the red light.
- 今期は赤字になりそうです。Konki wa akaji ni narisō desu.It looks like we'll be in the red this term.
- 同僚に赤ちゃんが生まれました。Dōryō ni akachan ga umaremashita.A coworker had a baby.
- 赤いペンで修正してください。Akai pen de shūsei shite kudasai.Please make corrections in red pen.
- 赤ワインをグラスでお願いします。Aka wain o gurasu de onegai shimasu.A glass of red wine, please.
- 秋になると山が真っ赤になります。Aki ni naru to yama ga makka ni narimasu.In autumn, the mountains turn bright red.
Questions about 赤
How many strokes does 赤 have?
赤 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 赤?
The on readings are seki (セキ), shaku (シャク). The kun readings are aka (あか), akai (あかい), akaramu (あからむ), akarameru (あからめる).
How do Japanese teachers mark correct answers?
Teachers in Japan use a red pen, 赤ペン (akapen). A circle, まる (maru), means correct, and an X, ばつ (batsu), means wrong.
What JLPT level is 赤?
N4. 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 N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Colors and descriptions
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 赤
- 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.