Explore 板 in everyday objects and signs. Learn its reading as part of each complete word.
The idea
板 has 8 strokes; follow the linked diagram. 板（いた） is a board, while 黒板（こくばん）, 看板（かんばん） and 掲示板（けいじばん） use ばん in compounds.
| Word | Reading |
|---|---|
| 板 | いた |
| 黒板 | こくばん |
| 看板 | かんばん |
| 掲示板 | けいじばん |
Examples
- 板は木でできています。The board is made of wood.
- 先生は黒板に文を書きます。The teacher writes a sentence on the blackboard.
- 店の前の看板を見てください。Please look at the sign in front of the shop.
- 掲示板にお知らせを貼りました。I posted the notice on the noticeboard.
- この板を短く切ってください。Please cut this board short.
- 駅の入口に大きな看板があります。There is a large sign at the entrance to the station.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
A 看板 is a sign, not necessarily a wooden board. Do not assume 板 always reads いた: its reading depends on the word.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 板 in hiragana.
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いた
板 is read いた when it means a board on its own.
Write the reading of 黒板 in hiragana.
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こくばん
黒板 is read こくばん; 板 is ばん in this compound.
Choose the missing kanji: 看＿（かんばん）［板／反］.
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板
板 completes 看板（かんばん）, a sign.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 板 in hiragana.
Write the reading of 黒板 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: 看＿（かんばん）［板／反］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 板 using the stroke-order diagram. Cover the table, read 板 and 黒板, then make a sentence with one of them.