Japanese kanji 建: building and construction

The idea

建 has 9 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Read 建物（たてもの） and 建てる（たてる） as complete words: a character’s reading depends on the word.

Examples

• あの建物たてものは大おおきくて高たかいです。That building is large and tall.
• あれは古ふるい建物たてものです。That over there is an old building.
• 父ちちは家いえを建たてました。My father built a house.
• 駅えきの前まえに新あたらしい店みせが建たちました。A new shop was built in front of the station.
• この建物たてものは学校がっこうです。This building is a school.
• 町まちに図書館としょかんを建たてます。A library will be built in the town.
• 新あたらしい図書館としょかんの建設けんせつが始はじまりました。Construction of the new library has begun.

Watch out

建てる takes an object: someone builds a building. 建つ describes a building being built or standing; it does not take を for the building. Compare the shape of 建 with 連. In 建設（けんせつ）, 建 uses the reading けん.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 建物 in hiragana.

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   たてもの

   建物 is read たてもの. In context: That building is large and tall.

2. Write the reading of 建てる in hiragana.

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   たてる

   建てる is read たてる. In context: My father built a house.

3. Complete the missing kanji: ＿物（たてもの）［建／連］.

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   建

   建 completes 建物, read たてもの. In context: That building is large and tall.

4. Write the reading of 建設 in hiragana.

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   けんせつ

   建設 is read けんせつ. In context: Construction of the new library has begun.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 建 from memory, and read 建物 and 建てる aloud. Then check their readings and make a sentence.