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道Nihongo Path
怪

怪·mysterious, suspicious

On-yomi
カイ
Kun-yomi
あや(しい)あや(しむ)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
怪しいあやしいsuspicious, dubious
怪我けがinjury
怪物かいぶつmonster
怪談かいだんghost story

Example sentences

  1. あの人の様子はどうも怪しい。

    あのひとのようすはどうもあやしい。

    There is something suspicious about that person.

  2. 転んで足に怪我をした。

    ころんであしにけがをした。

    I fell and injured my leg.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • 怪我 is read けが — an irregular reading unrelated to カイ or われ.
  • 怪しい is suspicion; 妖しい (same reading) is allure.

Memory aid

Picture it

The heart radical 忄 beside 圣 — the feeling in your chest that something is not right.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 怪 mean?