๐ Meaning & Origin
The ๆ radical represents the moon. Because lunar cycles define months, it also means 'month.' You'll find it in kanji about time, light, and existence.
๐ Kanji by JLPT Level
โ๏ธ Where it appears & how it changes shape
ๆ appears on the left as a hen (ๆ, ๆ right-hand side) and at the bottom (ๆ, ้). Its shape barely changes, which is convenient to write but causes the single biggest trap in the radical system. See the note below.
๐ Don't confuse it with
In body-related kanji such as ่ น, ่ธ and ่ณ, the left component is written exactly like ๆ but comes from ่ (meat). Teachers call it ใซใใฅใ. Same shape, unrelated meaning.
Wider and shorter, with two horizontal strokes inside rather than ๆ's two shorter ones. ๆฅ is the sun.
๐ Beyond N5 โ what comes next
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๆ | ใกใใ / ใใ | morning | N4 |
| ๆ | ใ | period, term | N3 |
| ๆ | ใตใ | clothes | N4 |
JLPT does not publish official kanji lists by level. These levels follow the commonly used reference lists and are a guide, not a guarantee.
๐ฃ๏ธ Words you will actually meet
For months you use ใใค, not ใคใ.
๐ฏ How to use this radical in JLPT study
Before you decide a kanji is about the moon, check whether it is about the body. ๆ (bright) and ๆ (morning) genuinely involve the moon; ่ น (belly) and ่ณ (brain) do not, despite looking as though they do. This is one of the few places where the shape on the page cannot tell you the meaning, so it is worth memorising the handful of body kanji you will meet. Avoid reading ใซใใฅใ kanji as moon-related and building a mnemonic on it: the mnemonic will fight you every time the real meaning appears in a test sentence.
๐ก Teacher's Memory Tip
Two horizontal strokes inside a crescent, like the glow bands of the moon. ๆ = moon, month, or cycle.
โ Frequently Asked Questions
The ๆ radical means 'moon' or 'month.' Lunar cycles were the original basis for counting months in Japanese culture.
N5 kanji with ๆ: ๆ (moon/month), ๆ (bright, sun ๆฅ + moon ๆ = bright), ๆ (to have/exist, contains ๆ).
Draw two lines inside a crescent moon. Whenever you see ๆ in a kanji, think of the moon, months, or recurring cycles.
Other N5 Radicals
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