飯: the kanji for meal and cooked rice
飯 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means meal, cooked rice. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
飯 is written in 12 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
飯 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ハン (han)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ご飯ごはん · gohan | rice; meal |
| 朝ご飯あさごはん · asagohan | breakfast |
| 昼ご飯ひるごはん · hirugohan | lunch |
| 晩ご飯ばんごはん · bangohan | dinner |
| 夕飯ゆうはん · yūhan | dinner |
| 炊飯器すいはんき · suihanki | rice cooker |
| 赤飯せきはん · sekihan | red bean rice |
めし (meshi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 飯めし · meshi | meal (casual) |
| 昼飯ひるめし · hirumeshi | lunch (casual) |
| 焼き飯やきめし · yakimeshi | fried rice |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 一緒に昼ご飯を食べませんか。Issho ni hirugohan o tabemasen ka.Would you like to have lunch together?
- 朝ご飯は毎日食べています。Asagohan wa mainichi tabete imasu.I eat breakfast every day.
- 炊飯器を買いました。Suihanki o kaimashita.I bought a rice cooker.
- 晩ご飯は何にしましょうか。Bangohan wa nani ni shimashō ka.What should we have for dinner?
- お祝いの日に赤飯を食べます。O-iwai no hi ni sekihan o tabemasu.We eat red bean rice on days of celebration.
- ご飯のおかわりは無料です。Gohan no okawari wa muryō desu.Extra rice refills are free.
Questions about 飯
How many strokes does 飯 have?
飯 is written in 12 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 飯?
The on readings are han (ハン). The kun readings are meshi (めし).
What is the difference between ご飯 and 飯?
ご飯 (gohan) is the polite, everyday word for cooked rice or a meal. 飯 (meshi) is casual and mostly used by men among friends. Use ご飯 at work.
What JLPT level is 飯?
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
Food, animals and nature
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 飯
- 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.