Recognize 難 in 難しい and 困難. Connect each word’s reading with its meaning in context.

The idea

難 has 18 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram for their order. Read 難しい（むずかしい） and 困難（こんなん） as whole words: a kanji’s reading depends on the word.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
難しいむずかしいThis kanji is difficult.
困難こんなんThat plan is difficult to carry out.
避難ひなんI check the evacuation location.

Examples

  • この漢字かんじは難むずかしいです。This kanji is difficult.
  • それは難むずかしい質問しつもんですね。That’s a difficult question, isn’t it?
  • その計画けいかくは困難こんなんです。That plan is difficult to carry out.
  • みんなで困難こんなんを乗のり越こえました。Together we overcame the difficulty.
  • 避難ひなんの場所ばしょを確認かくにんします。I check the evacuation location.
  • 避難ひなんの訓練くんれんに参加さんかします。I take part in an evacuation drill.

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

Watch out

難しい is an い-adjective; 困難 is a noun or a な-adjective, as in 困難な計画. Do not assume that every word containing 難 has the same meaning or reading. Compare 難 with 灘; pay attention to 氵 when distinguishing their shapes.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 難しい in hiragana.

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    むずかしい

    難しい is read むずかしい. In context: This kanji is difficult.

  2. Write the reading of 困難 in hiragana.

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    こんなん

    困難 is read こんなん. In context: That plan is difficult to carry out.

  3. Write the missing kanji: 避＿（ひなん）［難／灘］.

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    難

    難 completes 避難, read ひなん. In context: I check the evacuation location.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 難 from memory and read 難しい and 困難 aloud. Check your readings against the examples.