陰
陰·shade, negative, behind the scenes
- On-yomi
- イン
- Kun-yomi
- かげかげ(る)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 陰謀 | いんぼう | conspiracy |
| 日陰 | ひかげ | shade |
| 陰気 | いんき | gloomy, dismal |
| お陰 | おかげ | thanks to, owing to |
Example sentences
暑いので木の陰で休んだ。
あついのできのかげでやすんだ。
It was hot, so we rested in the shade of a tree.
みなさんのお陰で無事に終わりました。
みなさんのおかげでぶじにおわりました。
Thanks to everyone, it finished without trouble.
その部屋は陰気で落ち着かない。
そのへやはいんきでおちつかない。
That room is gloomy and unsettling.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 陰陽陽 (sunlight, positive) is the direct opposite and shares the left hill radical 阝.
- 陰蔭蔭 is an older variant used for かげ in words like お蔭; 陰 is the standard form today.
Common mistakes
- Mixing 陰 (shade, the dark side) with 影 (a cast shadow or silhouette) — 影 is the shape, 陰 is the shaded place
- Reading 陰気 as かげき instead of いんき
Memory aid
Picture it
The hill radical 阝 marks the slope of a hill; the shaded side of the hill is 陰, the sunny side 陽.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 陰 mean?