Meet 勉 in 勉強 (study; studying) and 勉強します (to study). Learn each reading and meaning with the whole word.

The idea

勉 has 10 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Read 勉強 as べんきょう and 勉強します as べんきょうします. N4 is an estimated learning level, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
勉強べんきょうstudy; studying
勉強しますべんきょうしますto study

Examples

  • 日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうをしています。I am studying Japanese.
  • 友達ともだちと図書館としょかんで勉強べんきょうします。I study at the library with a friend.
  • 昨日きのうは漢字かんじを勉強べんきょうしました。Yesterday I studied kanji.
  • 兄あには高校こうこうで勉強べんきょうしています。My older brother studies at high school.
  • 明日あしたいっしょに勉強べんきょうしましょう。Let’s study together tomorrow.
  • なぜ日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしますか。Why do you study Japanese?

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

Watch out

Compare the shapes of 勉 and 免. Read whole words: 勉強 means study; studying, whereas 勉強します means to study. 勉 is usually encountered in a compound such as 勉強; 強 by itself means strong.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 勉強 in hiragana.

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    べんきょう

    勉強 is read べんきょう and means study; studying. In the example: I am studying Japanese.

  2. Write the reading of 勉強します in hiragana.

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    べんきょうします

    勉強します is read べんきょうします and means to study. In the example: I study at the library with a friend.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿強します（べんきょうします）［勉／免］.

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    勉

    勉 completes 勉強します, read べんきょうします; the word means to study.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 勉 from memory, then read 勉強 and 勉強します aloud. Check their readings and meanings.