還
還·return, send back
- On-yomi
- カン
- Kun-yomi
- none
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 返還 | へんかん | return, restoration (of land, rights) |
| 還元 | かんげん | giving back; reduction (chemistry) |
| 生還 | せいかん | returning alive; scoring a run |
| 還暦 | かんれき | one's 60th birthday |
Example sentences
利益を社会に還元したい。
りえきをしゃかいにかんげんしたい。
We want to give our profits back to society.
土地の返還が正式に決まった。
とちのへんかんがせいしきにきまった。
The return of the land was formally decided.
祖父は今年還暦を迎えた。
そふはことしかんれきをむかえた。
My grandfather turned sixty this year.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 還元 as かんもと — it is かんげん
- Writing 環暦 for 還暦 — the 60-year cycle comes back round, so it takes 還
Memory aid
Picture it
The road radical 辶 around an element meaning 'to circle': travelling the full circuit and arriving back where you started.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 還 mean?