辛: the kanji for spicy; hard
辛 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means spicy; hard. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
辛 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
辛 has 2 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).
シン (shin)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 辛抱しんぼう · shinbō | patience; endurance |
| 香辛料こうしんりょう · kōshinryō | spice |
からい (karai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 辛いからい · karai | spicy; salty |
| 辛口からくち · karakuchi | dry; spicy (flavor) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- このカレーは辛すぎて食べられない。Kono karē wa karasugite taberarenai.This curry is too spicy to eat.
- もう少し辛抱すれば、きっとうまくいく。Mō sukoshi shinbō sureba, kitto umaku iku.If you are patient a little longer, it will surely work out.
- この料理には香辛料がたくさん使われている。Kono ryōri ni wa kōshinryō ga takusan tsukawarete iru.A lot of spices are used in this dish.
- 辛口のお酒が好きだ。Karakuchi no osake ga suki da.I like dry sake.
- 辛いものを食べると汗が出る。Karai mono o taberu to ase ga deru.When I eat spicy food, I sweat.
Questions about 辛
How many strokes does 辛 have?
辛 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 辛?
The on readings are shin (シン). The kun readings are karai (からい).
What JLPT level is 辛?
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
Food and cooking
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 辛
- 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.