鬼: the kanji for demon; ogre
鬼 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means demon; ogre. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
鬼 is written in 10 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
鬼 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).
キ (ki)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 鬼才きさい · kisai | genius |
| 餓鬼がき · gaki | hungry ghost; brat |
おに (oni)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 鬼おに · oni | ogre; demon |
| 鬼ごっこおにごっこ · onigokko | tag (children's game) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 節分に「鬼は外」と言って豆をまく。Setsubun ni "oni wa soto" to itte mame o maku.At Setsubun, people throw beans saying "Demons out!"
- 公園で子どもたちが鬼ごっこをしている。Kōen de kodomotachi ga onigokko o shite iru.Children are playing tag in the park.
- 彼は映画界の鬼才と呼ばれている。Kare wa eigakai no kisai to yobarete iru.He is called a genius of the film world.
- 桃太郎は鬼を退治した。Momotarō wa oni o taiji shita.Momotaro defeated the ogres.
- 練習の時のコーチは鬼のように厳しい。Renshū no toki no kōchi wa oni no yō ni kibishii.The coach is as strict as a demon at practice.
Questions about 鬼
How many strokes does 鬼 have?
鬼 is written in 10 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 鬼?
The on readings are ki (キ). The kun readings are oni (おに).
What JLPT level is 鬼?
N1. 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 N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Study, language and culture
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 鬼
- 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.