損
損·loss, damage, disadvantage
- On-yomi
- ソン
- Kun-yomi
- そこ(なう)そこ(ねる)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 損害 | そんがい | damage, loss |
| 損失 | そんしつ | loss |
| 損 | そん | loss, disadvantage |
| 損なう | そこなう | to harm, to damage |
| 破損 | はそん | damage, breakage |
Example sentences
台風で農作物に大きな損害が出た。
たいふうでのうさくもつにおおきなそんがいがでた。
The typhoon caused great damage to crops.
その株を売らなかったせいで、損をした。
そのかぶをうらなかったせいで、そんをした。
I lost money because I did not sell those shares.
無理をして健康を損なってはいけない。
むりをしてけんこうをそこなってはいけない。
You must not overdo it and damage your health.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 損員員 (member) is the right side of 損. 損 adds the hand radical 扌.
- 損捐捐 is a rare character with the same components in older usage; in modern Japanese use 損.
Common mistakes
- 損 (loss) and 得 (gain) are a pair: 損得 (profit and loss). 損する = lose out; 得する = gain.
- 損なう and 損ねる are both correct; 損なう is more common in writing.
Memory aid
Picture it
A hand 扌 dropping a member 員 of the group: a loss.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 3 of 5
What does the kanji 損 mean?