Meet 参 in useful words for taking part, consulting a source and visiting respectfully.

The idea

参 has 8 strokes; follow the linked diagram. Learn 参加（さんか）, 参考（さんこう） and 参拝（さんぱい） as compounds with さん. 参る（まいる） uses a different reading and is a humble way to say go or come.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
参加さんかI will participate in tomorrow’s meeting.
参考さんこうI will use this book as a reference for my report.
参るまいるI will come to you.
参拝さんぱいMy family visited a shrine to worship on New Year’s Day.

Examples

  • 明日あしたの会議かいぎに参加さんかします。I will participate in tomorrow’s meeting.
  • 友達ともだちとイベントに参加さんかしました。I participated in the event with a friend.
  • この本ほんを参考さんこうにレポートを書かきます。I will use this book as a reference for my report.
  • 資料しりょうを参考さんこうにして計画けいかくを立たてました。I made a plan using the materials as a reference.
  • 私わたしがそちらへ参まいります。I will come to you.
  • 元日がんじつに家族かぞくで神社じんじゃに参拝さんぱいしました。My family visited a shrine to worship on New Year’s Day.

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

Watch out

参加する takes に for the event joined. 参考 means reference, not participation; 参る lowers the speaker’s own action and is not used to honor another person’s visit.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 参加 in hiragana.

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    さんか

    参加 is さんか: 会議に参加します means to participate in a meeting.

  2. Write the reading of 参る in hiragana.

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    まいる

    参る is まいる. 参ります is its polite form, used humbly for one’s own coming or going.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿考（さんこう）［参／近］.

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    参

    参 completes 参考（さんこう）, a reference used to inform a decision or piece of writing.

Use it today

Write 参 using the diagram. Cover the table, read 参加 and 参る, then make a sentence with 参加する.