皮
皮·skin, hide, peel, leather
- On-yomi
- ヒ
- Kun-yomi
- かわ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 皮 | かわ | skin, peel, hide |
| 皮膚 | ひふ | skin (of the body) |
| 毛皮 | けがわ | fur |
| 皮肉 | ひにく | irony, sarcasm |
Example sentences
りんごの皮をむいて切って食べた。
りんごのかわをむいてきってたべた。
I peeled the apple, cut it and ate it.
皮膚が弱いので、この石けんは使えません。
ひふがよわいので、このせっけんはつかえません。
My skin is sensitive, so I can't use this soap.
彼の言い方はいつも皮肉っぽい。
かれのいいかたはいつもひにくっぽい。
The way he talks is always rather sarcastic.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 皮 (かわ, skin/peel) with 川 (かわ, river) and 革 (かわ, worked leather)
- Reading 毛皮 as *もうひ; it is けがわ
Memory aid
Picture it
A hand pulling a hide down off an animal — the curved stroke is the skin being stripped away.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 皮 mean?