Chinese, Han
Interesting Fact
More than 2,000 years ago, the Han Dynasty (漢朝) became one of the most powerful and influential empires in Chinese history. It expanded trade along the Silk Road, developed government systems, and spread Chinese culture across East Asia. The dynasty became so respected that the majority ethnic group in China still calls itself the Han people (漢族) today. Japan also borrowed this character, which is why 漢字 literally means "Han characters"—the writing system introduced from China.
Memory Trick
Look at 漢. The left side is water. Imagine a giant river carrying a Chinese scholar on a wooden boat. He sails down the river bringing Chinese characters to Japan.
Readings
Onyomi: カン (kan)
Kunyomi:
Example Words
Example Sentence
毎日 漢字を 勉強しています。
まいにち かんじを べんきょうしています。
mainichi kanji o benkyou shiteimasu
I study kanji every day.