Recognize 利 in 利益, 利用 and 便利; learn each complete word in context.

The idea

利益 (りえき) means profit; benefit; 利用 (りよう) means use; utilization; 便利 (べんり) means convenient; useful. 利 has 7 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram to write them in order. Learn each reading with its word. Sino-Japanese reading: リ（利益）.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
利益りえきprofit; benefit
利用りようuse; utilization
便利べんりconvenient; useful

Examples

  • 会社かいしゃの利益りえきが増ふえました。The company’s profits increased.
  • この事業じぎょうは利益りえきを生うみます。This business generates a profit.
  • この図書館としょかんは誰だれでも利用りようできます。Anyone can use this library.
  • 駅えきの近ちかくの駐輪場ちゅうりんじょうを利用りようします。I use the bicycle parking area near the station.
  • このアプリは旅行りょこうに便利べんりです。This app is convenient for travel.
  • この駅えきはバスもあって便利べんりです。This station is convenient because buses are available too.

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

Watch out

利益 can mean a financial profit or a benefit. 利用する means to use or make use of and is often more formal than 使う; 便利 is a な-adjective meaning convenient, not necessarily free. Compare 利 and 和; their components differ: 利＝禾＋刂；和＝禾＋口.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 利益 in hiragana.

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    りえき

    利益 is read りえき and means profit; benefit.

  2. Write the reading of 利用 in hiragana.

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    りよう

    利用 is read りよう and means use; utilization.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: 便＿（べんり）.

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    利

    利 completes 便利, read べんり; the word means convenient; useful.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 利 from memory, then read 利益 and 利用 aloud and make a sentence with one of them.