開 — how to write the kanji for “open”
開 means “open”, “unfold” and “unseal”; it is a JLPT N4 kanji, taught in third grade in Japan. In newspapers it is one of the hundred most used kanji (59th). KANJIDIC2 gives it 1 on reading and 6 kun readings, so the word decides how you say it. Its parts sit one inside another: 門 (“gate”, its radical), strokes 1–8; 开 (“open”), strokes 9–12, each finished before the next. Its common words take the reading kai: 開発 (“development”), 公開 (“opening to the public”), 展開 (“development”) and 開催 (“holding…”). Mainland Chinese writes it 开 (kāi, “to open”), an HSK 1 character.
- Strokes
- 12
- JLPT
- N4
- Radical
- 門 (“gate”)
- On
- カイ
- Kun
- ひら·ける, あ·ける, ひら·く
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- Vertical ㇑top leftdownwards
- Horizontal-turn ㇕top leftrightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐top leftrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Vertical ㇑topdownwards
- Horizontal-turn-hook ㇆toprightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
- Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Left-falling stroke ㇒centerdownwards → down and left
- Vertical ㇑centerdownwards
Japanese and Chinese
The two models differ in shape, so our comparison does not claim an order; compare the numbered frames yourself (12 strokes in Japanese, 12 strokes in Chinese).
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- カイ kai
- Kun (native)
- ひら·ける hira-keru, あ·ける a-keru, ひら·く hira-ku (rare), ひら·き hira-ki (rare), -びら·き -bira-ki (rare), あ·く a-ku (rare)
- Meanings
- open; unfold; unseal
- Read kai
- 開発 公開 展開 開催 開始 開放
- School year
- third grade
- Newspaper rank
- 59th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 개 gae
- Common words
- 55 in JMdict
Words with 開
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 開発 | かいはつ kaihatsu | development; cultivation |
| 公開 | こうかい koukai | opening to the public; making available to the public |
| 展開 | てんかい tenkai | development; evolution |
| 開催 | かいさい kaisai | holding (a conference, exhibition, etc.); opening |
| 開始 | かいし kaishi | start; commencement |
| 開放 | かいほう kaihou | opening (a door, window, etc.); leaving open |
| 再開 | さいかい saikai | reopening; resumption |
| 開幕 | かいまく kaimaku | raising the curtain; opening |
| 開会 | かいかい kaikai | opening of a meeting |
| 開票 | かいひょう kaihyou | counting ballots; tally |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N4, in list order: