Recognise 未 in complete Japanese words. These examples show not yet and the future in context.

The idea

未 has 5 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 未来（みらい） with 未定（みてい）: learn readings with whole words. N3 is an editorial estimate, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
未来みらいI think about the future.
未定みていThe meeting date has not been decided yet.
未完成みかんせいThis work is not finished yet.
未解決みかいけつThis problem is still unresolved.

Examples

  • 未来みらいのことを考かんがえます。I think about the future.
  • 会議かいぎの日ひは未定みていです。The meeting date has not been decided yet.
  • この作品さくひんはまだ未完成みかんせいです。This work is not finished yet.
  • この問題もんだいはまだ未解決みかいけつです。This problem is still unresolved.
  • 未来みらいの町まちはどう変かわるでしょうか。How will the town of the future change?
  • これは未使用みしようの切手きってです。This is an unused stamp.

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 未 with 末: the upper horizontal stroke of 未 is shorter than the lower one, while in 末 the upper stroke is longer. 未定 means “undecided”, not “the end”.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 未来 in hiragana.

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    みらい

    未来 is read みらい. In context: I think about the future.

  2. Write the reading of 未定 in hiragana.

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    みてい

    未定 is read みてい. In context: The meeting date has not been decided yet.

  3. Write this lesson’s kanji in the blank: ＿来（みらい）.

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    未

    未 completes 未来, read みらい. In context: I think about the future.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 未 from memory, and read 未来 and 未定 aloud. Then check the examples and make a sentence of your own.