Explore 談 through words for discussion and conversation. Learn each reading with a whole word and a situation.

The idea

談 has 15 strokes and the on-reading ダン. Follow the linked stroke diagram. Read 相談（そうだん）, 会談（かいだん）, 対談（たいだん） and 冗談（じょうだん） as complete words.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
相談そうだんI consulted my teacher about my future plans.
対談たいだんTwo writers will have a conversation about books.
会談かいだんThe prime minister held talks with the president.
冗談じょうだんThat was a joke, so please don’t be angry.

Examples

  • 先生せんせいに進路しんろを相談そうだんしました。I consulted my teacher about my future plans.
  • 二人ふたりの作家さっかが本ほんについて対談たいだんします。Two writers will have a conversation about books.
  • 首相しゅしょうは大統領だいとうりょうと会談かいだんしました。The prime minister held talks with the president.
  • それは冗談じょうだんですから、怒おこらないでください。That was a joke, so please don’t be angry.
  • 困こまったときは、家族かぞくに相談そうだんしてください。When you have a problem, please consult your family.
  • 二人ふたりの対談たいだんを雑誌ざっしで読よみました。I read the conversation between the two in a magazine.

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

Watch out

相談 is seeking advice or discussing a problem; 会談 is a meeting for talks, while 対談 is a dialogue between two people. 冗談 means a joke, not a formal discussion.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 相談 in hiragana.

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    そうだん

    相談 is そうだん: ask someone for advice, as with a teacher about future plans.

  2. Write the reading of 対談 in hiragana.

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    たいだん

    対談 is たいだん: a dialogue between two people, such as two writers.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 冗＿（じょうだん）［談／話］.

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    談

    談 completes 冗談（じょうだん）, a joke; 話 does not form this word.

Use it today

Write 談 using the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 相談 and 対談, then make a sentence with one.