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道Nihongo Path
斤

斤·axe, kin (unit of weight), loaf (of bread)

On-yomi
キン
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
一斤いっきんone kin; one loaf of bread (about 340-400 g)
食パン一斤しょくパンいっきんa loaf of sliced white bread
半斤はんきんhalf a kin, half a loaf
斤量きんりょうweight (of paper or a load)

Example sentences

  1. 食パンを一斤買ってきた。

    しょくパンをいっきんかってきた。

    I bought a loaf of bread.

  2. 昔は肉を斤で量っていた。

    むかしはにくをきんではかっていた。

    Meat used to be weighed in kin.

  3. 紙の斤量によって印刷の仕上がりが変わる。

    かみのきんりょうによっていんさつのしあがりがかわる。

    The weight of the paper changes how the printing comes out.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 一斤 as いちきん — it is いっきん
  • Assuming a 斤 of bread is a fixed weight — bakeries differ, and it is a loaf size rather than an exact measure

Memory aid

Picture it

A picture of an axe head on its handle — it doubled as the standard weight, and today it is mostly seen on bread packaging.

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does the kanji 斤 mean?