Recognise 非 in words such as 非常に and 非常口. Learn the whole word together with its reading and meaning.

The idea

Read 非常に as ひじょうに and 非常口 as ひじょうぐち. 非 has 8 strokes; use the linked KanjiVG diagram to follow their order. Many kanji have Japanese-origin readings (kun) and readings borrowed through Chinese (on); learn each with its word. N3 is an approximate learning level, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
非常にひじょうにvery; extremely
非常口ひじょうぐちemergency exit
非公開ひこうかいnot open to the public; private

Examples

  • この本ほんは非常ひじょうにおもしろいです。This book is very interesting.
  • 今日きょうは非常ひじょうに寒さむいです。It is extremely cold today.
  • 非常口ひじょうぐちは建物たてものの奥おくにあります。The emergency exit is at the back of the building.
  • 非常口ひじょうぐちを先さきに確認かくにんします。I will check where the emergency exit is first.
  • この会議かいぎは一般いっぱんには非公開ひこうかいです。This meeting is closed to the public.
  • 写真しゃしんを非公開ひこうかいに設定せっていしました。I set the photos to private.

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

Watch out

非常に means very and can modify positive adjectives; 非公開 means not open to the public. Compare the shapes of 非 and 悲; they are different characters.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 非常に in hiragana.

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    ひじょうに

    非常に is read ひじょうに; it means very; extremely.

  2. Write the reading of 非常口 in hiragana.

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    ひじょうぐち

    非常口 is read ひじょうぐち; it means emergency exit.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿公開（ひこうかい）.

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    非

    非 completes 非公開, read ひこうかい; it means not open to the public; private.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 非 from memory, and read 非常に and 非常口 aloud. Then use one in a sentence.