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道Nihongo Path
粒

粒·grain, particle

On-yomi
リュウ
Kun-yomi
つぶ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
粒つぶgrain, drop, small round thing
粒子りゅうしparticle
米粒こめつぶgrain of rice
大粒おおつぶlarge-grained, big drops

Example sentences

  1. 大粒の雨が降ってきた。

    おおつぶのあめがふってきた。

    Big drops of rain began to fall.

  2. 空気中の細かい粒子を測定する装置です。

    くうきちゅうのこまかいりゅうしをそくていするそうちです。

    It is a device that measures fine particles in the air.

  3. 茶碗に米粒が一つ残っている。

    ちゃわんにこめつぶがひとつのこっている。

    A single grain of rice is left in the bowl.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

  • 粒拉拉 (ラ, as in 拉致) shares 立; 粒 has the rice radical 米 on the left, 拉 the hand radical 扌.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 一粒 as いちつぶ — it is ひとつぶ
  • Reading 粒子 as つぶし — in compounds it is リュウ: りゅうし

Memory aid

Picture it

Rice (米) standing up one by one (立) — each grain counted separately.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 粒 mean?