Kanzen

Kanji study

Kanji that look alike.

Some kanji differ by a single stroke, others by a single component. Here are the most common traps, and the detail to look for.

The classic traps

A longer stroke, an extra dot: the difference is all in one detail.

  • 未Un-末End

    未 (not yet): the top stroke is the shorter one. 末 (end): the top stroke is the longer one.

  • 土Soil士Samurai

    土 (earth): the bottom stroke is longer, like the ground. 士 (warrior): the top stroke is longer.

  • 日Day目Eye

    日 (sun): one bar inside, 4 strokes. 目 (eye): two bars, 5 strokes, taller.

  • 人Person入Enter

    人 (person): the right stroke leans on the left one. 入 (enter): the other way round.

  • 大Large犬Dog太Plump

    大 (big) has no dot. 犬 (dog): a dot at the top right. 太 (thick): a dot at the bottom, in the middle.

  • 午Noon牛Cow

    午 (noon): the vertical stroke stops under the top stroke. 牛 (cow): it pokes through the top.

  • 千Thousand干Dry

    千 (thousand): the top stroke slants. 干 (dry): it is flat.

  • 天Heavens夫Husband

    天 (heaven): the top stroke sits apart, above. 夫 (husband): the vertical stroke pokes through the top.

  • 右Right左Left

    右 (right) has 口 at the bottom, 左 (left) has 工. Stroke order differs too: 右 starts with the slant, 左 with the horizontal.

  • 木Tree本Book休Rest体Body

    本 (book) = 木 (tree) plus a short stroke at the bottom. So 休 (rest) contains 木, and 体 (body) contains 本.

  • 白White百Hundred

    百 (hundred) = 白 (white) with a horizontal stroke on top.

  • 目Eye自Oneself

    自 (self) = 目 (eye) with a short slanted stroke on top.

  • 王King玉Jewel

    玉 (jewel) = 王 (king) with a dot at the bottom right.

  • 刀Sword力Power

    力 (power): the second stroke pokes out at the top. 刀 (sword): it doesn't.

  • 貝Shellfish見See

    Same 目 on top. 貝 (shellfish) ends with two short splayed strokes, 見 (see) with two “legs” 儿.

  • 鳥Bird島Island

    島 (island) takes 鳥 (bird), drops its four dots and adds 山 (mountain): a bird resting on a mountain.

Level by level

The 20 closest pairs at each level, computed from the kanji's components.

JLPT N5

  • 聞Hear間Interval

    What changes: 聞 耳 (Ear) · 間 日 (Sun)

    57% shared components

  • 千Thousand午Noon

    What changes: 千 十 (Ten) · 午 干 (Dry)

    50% shared components

  • 語Word話Talk

    What changes: 語 吾 (I) · 話 舌 (Tongue)

    50% shared components

  • 火Fire分Part

    What changes: 火 — · 分 八 (Eight), 刀 (Knives)

    50% shared components

  • 父Father分Part

    What changes: 父 — · 分 八 (Eight), 刀 (Knives)

    50% shared components

  • 話Talk読Read

    What changes: 話 舌 (Tongue) · 読 売 (Sell)

    50% shared components

  • 語Word読Read

    What changes: 語 吾 (I) · 読 売 (Sell)

    50% shared components

JLPT N4

  • 開Open間Interval

    What changes: 開 开 (Open) · 間 日 (Sun)

    67% shared components

  • 問Question間Interval

    What changes: 問 口 (Mouths) · 間 日 (Sun)

    67% shared components

  • 問Question開Open

    What changes: 問 口 (Mouths) · 開 开 (Open)

    67% shared components

  • 待Wait持Hold

    What changes: 待 彳 (Step) · 持 扌 (Hand)

    67% shared components

  • 空Sky究Research

    What changes: 空 工 (Work) · 究 九 (Nine)

    63% shared components

  • 住Dwell注Pour

    What changes: 住 亻 (Person) · 注 氵 (Water)

    63% shared components

  • 味Flavor妹Younger sister

    What changes: 味 口 (Mouths) · 妹 女 (Women)

    63% shared components

  • 持Hold時Time

    What changes: 持 扌 (Hand) · 時 日 (Sun)

    60% shared components

  • 時Time特Special

    What changes: 時 日 (Sun) · 特 牛 (Cow)

    60% shared components

  • 待Wait特Special

    What changes: 待 彳 (Step) · 特 牛 (Cow)

    60% shared components

  • 古Old台Pedestal

    What changes: 古 十 (Ten) · 台 厶 (Private)

    60% shared components

  • 員Employee買Buy

    What changes: 員 口 (Mouths) · 買 罒 (Net)

    58% shared components

  • 員Employee貸Lend

    What changes: 員 口 (Mouths) · 貸 代 (Replace)

    58% shared components

  • 買Buy貸Lend

    What changes: 買 罒 (Net) · 貸 代 (Replace)

    58% shared components

  • 新New親Parent

    What changes: 新 斤 (Axe) · 親 見 (See)

    56% shared components

  • 思Think界World

    What changes: 思 心 (Heart) · 界 介 (Intermediary)

    56% shared components

  • 男Male思Think

    What changes: 男 力 (Force) · 思 心 (Heart)

    56% shared components

  • 男Male界World

    What changes: 男 力 (Force) · 界 介 (Intermediary)

    56% shared components

  • 秋Autumn私I

    What changes: 秋 火 (Fire) · 私 厶 (Private)

    56% shared components

  • 駅Station験Verification

    What changes: 駅 尺 (Ruler) · 験 㑒 (All, together)

    56% shared components

JLPT N3

JLPT N2

JLPT N1

Keep going

Sources: meanings and readings based on KANJIDIC2 and JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0) · KanjiVG strokes © Ulrich Apel (CC BY-SA 3.0) · reading selection, French translations and memory hooks: Kanzen.