寒
寒·cold (weather)
- On-yomi
- カン
- Kun-yomi
- さむい
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寒い | さむい | cold (weather, how you feel) |
| 寒気 | さむけ | a chill, the shivers |
| 寒さ | さむさ | the cold |
| 寒冷 | かんれい | cold, frigid (formal) |
Example sentences
今朝はとても寒かったです。
けさはとてもさむかったです。
It was very cold this morning.
寒気がするので、病院に行きます。
さむけがするので、びょういんにいきます。
I've got the chills, so I'm going to the doctor.
北海道の冬の寒さには驚きました。
ほっかいどうのふゆのさむさにはおどろきました。
I was amazed by how cold the winters are in Hokkaido.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 寒塞塞 (block up) has the same upper body but 土 at the bottom instead of the two ice strokes of 寒.
Common mistakes
- Using 寒い for a cold object — a cold drink is 冷たい, not 寒い
- Reading 寒気 as *かんき when it means a chill you feel; かんき is a separate weather term
Memory aid
Picture it
Under a roof (宀) packed with straw, with two ice strokes at the bottom — huddling indoors against the frost.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 寒 mean?