間 — how to write the kanji for “interval”
間 (“interval” and “space”) is a JLPT N5 kanji taught in second grade in Japan. In newspapers it is one of the hundred most used kanji (33rd). KANJIDIC2 gives it 2 on readings and 3 kun readings, so the word decides how you say it. Its parts sit one inside another: 門 (“gate”, its radical), strokes 1–8; 日 (“day”), strokes 9–12, each finished before the next. On its own it is the word aida, “space (between); gap”. Read kan, it forms 年間 (“(period of) a year”), 時間 (“time”) and 期間 (“period”); the native reading ma gives 仲間 (“companion”). Mainland Chinese writes it 间 (jiān, “between”), an HSK 1 character.
- Strokes
- 12
- JLPT
- N5
- Radical
- 門 (“gate”)
- On
- カン, ケン
- Kun
- ま, あいだ, あい
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 ㇐top leftrightwards
- Vertical ㇑topdownwards
- Horizontal-turn-hook ㇆toprightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
- Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
- Vertical ㇑centerdownwards
- Horizontal-turn ㇕centerrightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐centerrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottomrightwards
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)
- カン kan, ケン ken
- Kun (native)
- ま ma, あいだ aida, あい ai (rare)
- Meanings
- interval; space
- Read kan
- 年間 時間 期間 民間 中間 瞬間
- Read ken
- 人間
- Read ma
- 仲間
- School year
- second grade
- Newspaper rank
- 33rd of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 간 gan
- Common words
- 91 in JMdict
Words with 間
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 人間 | にんげん ningen | human being; human |
| 年間 | ねんかん nenkan | (period of) a year; during the era |
| 時間 | じかん jikan | time; hour |
| 期間 | きかん kikan | period; term |
| 民間 | みんかん minkan | private; non-governmental |
| 中間 | ちゅうかん chuukan | middle; midway |
| 仲間 | なかま nakama | companion; fellow |
| 瞬間 | しゅんかん shunkan | moment; instant |
| 空間 | くうかん kuukan | space; room |
| 一週間 | いっしゅうかん isshuukan | one week |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N5, in list order: