The character 強 relates to strong; strength. Learn its readings together with whole words and see them in context.

The idea

Kanji may have native Japanese readings (kun) and readings borrowed through Chinese (on); learn a reading with its word. Learn complete words: 強い (つよい) means strong, and 勉強 (べんきょう) means study; studying. 強 has 11 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
強いつよいstrong
勉強べんきょうstudy; studying
強風きょうふうa strong wind

Examples

  • 今日きょうは風かぜが強つよいです。The wind is strong today.
  • あの選手せんしゅはとても強つよいです。That athlete is very strong.
  • 毎朝まいあさ日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese every morning.
  • 明日あしたいっしょに勉強べんきょうしましょう。Let’s study together tomorrow.
  • 強風きょうふうで電車でんしゃが止とまりました。The train stopped because of strong winds.
  • 外そとでは強風きょうふうに注意ちゅういしてください。Please watch out for strong winds outdoors.

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

Watch out

強い describes strength, but 勉強する means to study, not to be strong. Do not guess a word’s reading or meaning from the character alone: compare 強い and 勉強. Also compare the shapes of 強 and 弱; they are different characters.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 強い in hiragana.

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    つよい

    強い is read つよい and means strong.

  2. Write the reading of 勉強 in hiragana.

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    べんきょう

    勉強 is read べんきょう and means study; studying.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿風（きょうふう）.

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    強

    強 completes 強風, read きょうふう; the word means a strong wind.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 強 from memory, read 強い and 勉強 aloud, and make a sentence with one of them.