Explore 変 in the words 変わる and 変える. Learn the reading and meaning of each complete word in context.

The idea

Kanji may have Japanese-origin and Chinese-origin readings; learn each with its word. Compare 変わる（かわる） and 変える（かえる）. 変 has 9 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
変わるかわるto change (intransitive)
変えるかえるto change something
変化へんかchange; variation

Examples

  • 天気てんきが急きゅうに変かわりました。The weather suddenly changed.
  • 季節きせつが変かわると、景色けしきも変かわります。When the season changes, the scenery changes too.
  • 会議かいぎの時間じかんを変かえました。I changed the time of the meeting.
  • 話題わだいを変かえてもいいですか。May I change the subject?
  • 気温きおんの変化へんかに気きをつけてください。Please take care when the temperature changes.
  • 生活せいかつに大おおきな変化へんかがありました。There was a big change in my life.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

With 変わる something changes; with 変える someone changes something, marked by を. Compare the components: 変：亦＋夂／交：亠＋父。

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 変わる in hiragana.

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    かわる

    変わる is read かわる; it means to change (intransitive). Learn the reading as part of this word.

  2. Write the reading of 変える in hiragana.

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    かえる

    変える is read かえる; it means to change something. Learn the reading as part of this word.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿化（へんか）.

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    変

    変 completes 変化, read へんか; the word means change; variation.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 変 from memory, and read 変わる and 変える aloud. Then check the readings and meanings.