Skip to content
道Nihongo Path
件

件·matter, case, item

On-yomi
ケン
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
事件じけんincident, case
条件じょうけんcondition, terms
用件ようけんbusiness to attend to, the matter at hand
件名けんめいsubject line, title of a matter

Example sentences

  1. その事件はニュースで知りました。

    そのじけんはニュースでしりました。

    I learned about that incident on the news.

  2. この条件では働けません。

    このじょうけんでははたらけません。

    I can't work under these conditions.

  3. メールの件名を書き忘れた。

    メールのけんめいをかきわすれた。

    I forgot to write the subject line of the email.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 事件 as *ことけん instead of じけん
  • 件 counts matters or cases (三件), not physical objects — use 個 for those

Memory aid

Picture it

A person (亻) and an ox (牛) — one head of cattle, one item on the list, one case to deal with.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5

What does the kanji 件 mean?