Explore 革 in leather goods and words for change. Learn each reading with a whole word and its context.

The idea

革 has nine strokes. As a word for leather it is かわ; in compounds such as 改革（かいかく） and 革命（かくめい） it is かく. Follow the linked stroke diagram and use the table to connect spelling and reading.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingMeaning
革かわleather
改革かいかくreform
革命かくめいrevolution

Examples

  • このかばんは革かわでできています。This bag is made of leather.
  • 革かわの靴くつを買かいました。I bought leather shoes.
  • 財布さいふの革かわを手入ていれしています。I care for the leather of my wallet.
  • その会社かいしゃは改革かいかくを進すすめています。The company is undertaking reforms.
  • 産業革命さんぎょうかくめいについて学まなびました。We learned about the Industrial Revolution.
  • 先生せんせいは改革かいかくの歴史れきしを説明せつめいしました。The teacher explained the history of the reform.

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

Watch out

Do not confuse 革, leather or reform, with 皮, skin, peel or hide. Both can be read かわ, but their uses differ; 革命 is written with 革, not 皮.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 革 in 革の靴 in hiragana.

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    かわ

    革 in 革の靴 is かわ: the shoes are made of leather.

  2. Write the reading of 改革 in hiragana.

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    かいかく

    改革 is かいかく, meaning reform; 革 is read かく in this compound.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 産業＿命（さんぎょうかくめい）［革／皮］.

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    革

    革 completes 産業革命（さんぎょうかくめい）, the Industrial Revolution.

Use it today

Write 革 using the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 革 and 改革 aloud, then make a sentence with one of them.