Recognise 当 in complete Japanese words. These examples show hitting, guessing and truth in context.

The idea

当 has 6 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 当たる（あたる） with 本当（ほんとう）: learn readings with whole words. N3 is an editorial estimate, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
当たるあたるThe ball hit the window.
本当ほんとうIs that story true?
当てるあてるI guessed the answer correctly.
本当にほんとうにAre we really off tomorrow?

Examples

  • ボールが窓まどに当あたりました。The ball hit the window.
  • その話はなしは本当ほんとうですか。Is that story true?
  • 日ひが窓まどに当あたります。Sunlight falls on the window.
  • 答こたえを見事みごとに当あてました。I guessed the answer correctly.
  • 明日あしたは本当ほんとうに休やすみですか。Are we really off tomorrow?
  • くじが当あたりました。My lottery ticket won a prize.

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

Watch out

当たる（あたる） can mean to hit or to win a prize; 当てる（あてる） can mean to make something hit or to guess correctly. In 本当, 当 is read とう. Compare 当 with 雪: a shared component does not make them interchangeable.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 当たる in hiragana.

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    あたる

    当たる is read あたる. In context: The ball hit the window.

  2. Write the reading of 本当 in hiragana.

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    ほんとう

    本当 is read ほんとう. In context: Is that story true?

  3. Write this lesson’s kanji in the blank: ＿たる（あたる）.

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    当

    当 completes 当たる, read あたる. In context: The ball hit the window.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 当 from memory, and read 当たる and 本当 aloud. Then check the examples and make a sentence of your own.