Japanese kanji 塩: salt and salt content

The idea

塩 has 13 strokes; follow the linked diagram. On its own 塩 is しお; in 塩分（えんぶん） and 減塩（げんえん） it is read えん.

Examples

• スープに塩しおを少すこし入いれてください。Please add a little salt to the soup.
• この魚さかなは塩しおで焼やいています。This fish is grilled with salt.
• 塩しおはテーブルの上うえにあります。The salt is on the table.
• ラベルで塩分えんぶんを確認かくにんします。I check the salt content on the label.
• 父ちちは塩分えんぶんを取とりすぎないようにしています。My father avoids eating too much salt.
• 減塩げんえんのしょうゆを買かいました。I bought a low-salt soy sauce.

Watch out

塩分 means salt content, while 減塩 means reducing salt or reduced salt. Do not read every occurrence as しお.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 塩 in hiragana.

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   しお

   塩 is しお, the everyday word for salt used in cooking.

2. Write the reading of 塩分 in hiragana.

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   えんぶん

   塩分 is えんぶん: it refers to the amount or content of salt.

3. Choose the missing kanji: 減＿（げんえん）［塩／皿］.

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   塩

   塩 completes 減塩（げんえん）, meaning reduced salt or salt reduction.

Use it today

Write 塩 following the diagram. Cover the table, read 塩 and 塩分, then make a sentence about food.