蛮
蛮·barbarian, savage, uncivilised
- On-yomi
- バン
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 野蛮 | やばん | barbaric, savage |
| 蛮行 | ばんこう | act of barbarity, outrage |
| 蛮勇 | ばんゆう | reckless courage |
| 南蛮 | なんばん | nanban (early Western traders); also in dishes like 鴨南蛮 |
Example sentences
そんな野蛮なやり方は許されない。
そんなやばんなやりかたはゆるされない。
Such a barbaric method cannot be allowed.
南蛮貿易で西洋の文化が入ってきた。
なんばんぼうえきでせいようのぶんかがはいってきた。
Western culture came in through the nanban trade.
彼は蛮勇を振るって反対した。
かれはばんゆうをふるってはんたいした。
He objected with reckless boldness.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Writing 野蛮 as 野番
- Assuming 南蛮 always means 'barbarian' — in food names (鴨南蛮, 南蛮漬け) it just marks a Portuguese-influenced style
Memory aid
Picture it
The insect radical 虫 under a lid: outsiders beyond the frontier were once written with the creature radical — the 'wild ones'.
Vocabulary using this kanji
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What does the kanji 蛮 mean?