Recognize 金 in everyday Japanese, learn its meanings (gold and money) and read it as part of complete words.

The idea

A kanji can have Japanese-origin readings (kun) and readings borrowed through Chinese (on); learn each reading with its word. Compare 金（きん） and お金（おかね） in the table. 金 has 8 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
金きんgold
お金おかねmoney
金曜日きんようびFriday
現金げんきんcash

Examples

  • 金曜日きんようびに図書館としょかんへ行いきます。I go to the library on Friday.
  • 金きんはとても高たかいです。Gold is very expensive.
  • 今いまはお金かねがありません。I have no money now.
  • お金かねをここで払はらいます。I pay here.
  • この指輪ゆびわは金きんです。This ring is made of gold.
  • 現金げんきんでここで払はらいます。I pay here in cash.

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

Watch out

金 is きん when it means gold, but お金 is おかね and means money. In 金曜日 use きん, not かね. 金 has two small strokes near the bottom that 全 lacks.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of お金 in hiragana.

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    おかね

    お金 is read おかね; the whole expression means money. In this word 金 is read かね.

  2. Write the reading of 金曜日 in hiragana.

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    きんようび

    金曜日 is read きんようび; the whole expression means Friday. In this word 金 is read きん.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿曜日（きんようび）.

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    金

    金 completes 金曜日, which is read きんようび. The completed expression means Friday.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 金 from memory, and read 金 and お金 aloud. Then check both readings and meanings.