塵
塵·dust, trash
- On-yomi
- ジン
- Kun-yomi
- ちり
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 塵 | ちり | dust, speck |
| 塵芥 | じんかい | dust and rubbish, garbage |
| 塵埃 | じんあい | dust |
| 微塵 | みじん | tiny particle, a bit |
Example sentences
棚の上に塵が積もっている。
たなのうえにちりがつもっている。
Dust has piled up on the shelf.
反省の色は微塵も見られなかった。
はんせいのいろはみじんもみられなかった。
Not the slightest sign of remorse could be seen.
塵も積もれば山となる。
ちりもつもればやまとなる。
Even dust, piled up, becomes a mountain.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 微塵 as びじん — it is みじん (and 美人 びじん is a different word)
- Using 塵 for household rubbish in speech; everyday Japanese says ごみ
Memory aid
Picture it
A deer 鹿 running over earth 土: the cloud of dust kicked up behind the herd.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 塵 mean?