Basic Kanji List for Beginners (120+ Characters with Meaning and Reading)
Learning kanji can feel overwhelming at first, but starting with basic kanji is the most effective way to build a strong foundation in Japanese. Kanji are essential characters used in everyday reading and writing, and mastering the basics will help you understand common words much faster.
For beginners, it is important to focus on simple and frequently used kanji. These characters often represent everyday concepts such as numbers, directions, time, and basic actions. By learning these first, you will quickly gain confidence and improve your ability to read Japanese.
This page provides a structured list of basic kanji for beginners, including readings in hiragana and romaji, English meanings, and Indonesian translations. This multi-language approach helps reinforce understanding and makes learning easier.
We also provide a searchable table so you can quickly find kanji. Each character includes a copy feature, allowing you to easily copy and practice writing kanji.
If you are just starting, we recommend learning 10โ15 kanji per day and reviewing them regularly. Consistency is the key to mastering kanji effectively.
| Kanji | Reading | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
ไธ | ใใก (ichi) | one | satu |
ไบ | ใซ (ni) | two | dua |
ไธ | ใใ (san) | three | tiga |
ๅ | ใ (shi) | four | empat |
ไบ | ใ (go) | five | lima |
ๅ
ญ | ใใ (roku) | six | enam |
ไธ | ใใก (shichi) | seven | tujuh |
ๅ
ซ | ใฏใก (hachi) | eight | delapan |
ไน | ใใ ใ (kyuu) | nine | sembilan |
ๅ | ใใ ใ (juu) | ten | sepuluh |
ๆฅ | ใซใก (nichi) | day / sun | hari |
ๆ | ใใค (getsu) | month / moon | bulan |
็ซ | ใ (ka) | fire | api |
ๆฐด | ใใ (sui) | water | air |
ๆจ | ใใ (moku) | tree | pohon |
้ | ใใ (kin) | gold / money | emas |
ๅ | ใฉ (do) | earth | tanah |
ไบบ | ใฒใจ (hito) | person | orang |
ๅญ | ใ (ko) | child | anak |
็ท | ใใจใ (otoko) | man | pria |
ๅฅณ | ใใใช (onna) | woman | wanita |
ๅ | ใจใ (tomo) | friend | teman |
็ถ | ใกใก (chichi) | father | ayah |
ๆฏ | ใฏใฏ (haha) | mother | ibu |
ๅ
| ใใซ (ani) | older brother | kakak laki-laki |
ๅง | ใใญ (ane) | older sister | kakak perempuan |
ๅผ | ใใจใใจ (otouto) | younger brother | adik laki-laki |
ๅฆน | ใใใใจ (imouto) | younger sister | adik perempuan |
ๅ
| ใใ (saki) | ahead | depan |
็ | ใใ (sei) | life | hidup |
ๅ | ใช (na) | name | nama |
ๅนด | ใญใ (nen) | year | tahun |
ๆ | ใ (ji) | time | waktu |
ไธ | ใใ (ue) | up | atas |
ไธ | ใใ (shita) | down | bawah |
ๅทฆ | ใฒใ ใ (hidari) | left | kiri |
ๅณ | ใฟใ (migi) | right | kanan |
ไธญ | ใชใ (naka) | inside | dalam |
ๅค | ใใจ (soto) | outside | luar |
ๅ | ใพใ (mae) | front | depan |
ๅพ | ใใใ (ushiro) | back | belakang |
ๅคง | ใใ (oo) | big | besar |
ๅฐ | ใกใ (chii) | small | kecil |
้ซ | ใใ (taka) | high | tinggi |
ไฝ | ใฒใ (hiku) | low | rendah |
ๆฐ | ใใใ (atara) | new | baru |
ๅค | ใตใ (furu) | old | lama |
่ก | ใใ (iku) | go | pergi |
ๆฅ | ใใ (kuru) | come | datang |
่ฆ | ใฟใ (miru) | see | melihat |
่ | ใใ (kiku) | hear | mendengar |
่ฉฑ | ใฏใชใ (hanasu) | speak | berbicara |
้ฃ | ใในใ (taberu) | eat | makan |
้ฃฒ | ใฎใ (nomu) | drink | minum |
่ฒท | ใใ (kau) | buy | membeli |
ๅฃฒ | ใใ (uru) | sell | menjual |
ๆธ | ใใ (kaku) | write | menulis |
่ชญ | ใใ (yomu) | read | membaca |
็ซ | ใใค (tatsu) | stand | berdiri |
ๅบง | ใใใ (suwaru) | sit | duduk |
ๅฑฑ | ใใพ (yama) | mountain | gunung |
ๅท | ใใ (kawa) | river | sungai |
็ฐ | ใ (ta) | rice field | sawah |
็ฉบ | ใใ (sora) | sky | langit |
้จ | ใใ (ame) | rain | hujan |
้ป | ใงใ (den) | electricity | listrik |
่ป | ใใใพ (kuruma) | car | mobil |
้ง
| ใใ (eki) | station | stasiun |
้ | ใฟใก (michi) | road | jalan |
ๅบ | ใฟใ (mise) | shop | toko |
ไผ | ใใ (au) | meet | bertemu |
็คพ | ใใ (sha) | company | perusahaan |
ๆ ก | ใใ (kou) | school | sekolah |
ๅญฆ | ใพใชใถ (manabu) | study | belajar |
ๅ
| ใใ (saki) | ahead | depan |
ๆฏ | ใพใ (mai) | every | setiap |
ไป | ใใพ (ima) | now | sekarang |
ไฝ | ใชใซ (nani) | what | apa |
่ชฐ | ใ ใ (dare) | who | siapa |
ๅค | ใใใ (ooi) | many | banyak |
ๅฐ | ใใใชใ (sukunai) | few | sedikit |
ๅผท | ใคใใ (tsuyoi) | strong | kuat |
ๅผฑ | ใใใ (yowai) | weak | lemah |
็ฝ | ใใ (shiro) | white | putih |
้ป | ใใ (kuro) | black | hitam |
่ตค | ใใ (aka) | red | merah |
้ | ใใ (ao) | blue | biru |
ๆฅ | ใฏใ (haru) | spring | musim semi |
ๅค | ใชใค (natsu) | summer | musim panas |
็ง | ใใ (aki) | autumn | musim gugur |
ๅฌ | ใตใ (fuyu) | winter | musim dingin |
ๅฃ | ใใก (kuchi) | mouth | mulut |
็ฎ | ใ (me) | eye | mata |
่ณ | ใฟใฟ (mimi) | ear | telinga |
ๆ | ใฆ (te) | hand | tangan |
่ถณ | ใใ (ashi) | foot | kaki |
ๅ | ใกใใ (chikara) | power | kekuatan |
ๅฟ | ใใใ (kokoro) | heart | hati |
ไฝ | ใใใ (karada) | body | tubuh |
้ณ | ใใจ (oto) | sound | suara |
ๅฃฐ | ใใ (koe) | voice | suara |
ๅ
| ใฒใใ (hikari) | light | cahaya |
่ฒ | ใใ (iro) | color | warna |
ๆ | ใใ (asa) | morning | pagi |
ๆผ | ใฒใ (hiru) | noon | siang |
ๅค | ใใ (yoru) | night | malam |
ๆฑ | ใฒใใ (higashi) | east | timur |
่ฅฟ | ใซใ (nishi) | west | barat |
ๅ | ใฟใชใฟ (minami) | south | selatan |
ๅ | ใใ (kita) | north | utara |
ๅ | ใใ (en) | yen | yen |
ๅ | ใฏใ (han) | half | setengah |
็พ | ใฒใใ (hyaku) | hundred | seratus |
ๅ | ใใ (sen) | thousand | seribu |
ๅบๅก | ใฆใใใ (tenin) | shop staff | pegawai toko |
ๅญฆ็ | ใใใใ (gakusei) | student | siswa |
ๅ
็ | ใใใใ (sensei) | teacher | guru |
ไผ็คพ | ใใใใ (kaisha) | company | perusahaan |
้่ก | ใใใใ (ginkou) | bank | bank |
็
้ข | ใณใใใใ (byouin) | hospital | rumah sakit |
ๅญฆๆ ก | ใใฃใใ (gakkou) | school | sekolah |
้ฃไบ | ใใใใ (shokuji) | meal | makan |
้ฃฒใฟ็ฉ | ใฎใฟใใฎ (nomimono) | drink | minuman |
How to Learn Basic Kanji Effectively
When starting with kanji, it is important to focus on consistency rather than speed. Learning a small number of kanji every day is far more effective than trying to memorize too many at once.
Try to associate each kanji with an image or meaning. This helps your brain remember the character more easily. Writing kanji by hand can also improve memory retention.
Another effective method is to study kanji in context. Instead of memorizing isolated characters, learn them as part of words or simple sentences.
To continue learning, explore our JLPT N5 kanji list and daily use kanji.