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道Nihongo Path
閥

閥·clique, faction

On-yomi
バツ
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

14 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
財閥ざいばつzaibatsu, financial conglomerate
派閥はばつfaction
学閥がくばつacademic clique, old-school-tie network
門閥もんばつlineage, family clique

Example sentences

  1. 党内の派閥争いが激しくなった。

    とうないのはばつあらそいがはげしくなった。

    Factional infighting within the party intensified.

  2. 戦後、大きな財閥は解体された。

    せんご、おおきなざいばつはかいたいされた。

    After the war, the big conglomerates were broken up.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 財閥 as ざいはつ — it is ざいばつ
  • Assuming 派閥 is neutral; it usually carries a critical tone

Memory aid

Picture it

門 (a gate) with 伐 (to strike down) inside: a gate your own people guard and outsiders cannot pass — a clique.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 閥 mean?