JLPT N3 · 17 strokes
Kanji 優: "tenderness, excel, surpass"
The kanji 優 means "tenderness, excel, surpass, actor, superiority, gentleness". It is written with 17 strokes and belongs to JLPT level N3, read ユウ, ウ in on'yomi and やさ.しい, すぐ.れる, まさ.る in kun'yomi.
Stroke order
Strokes are written in the order of the numbers. The order is not decorative: it is what gives the character its balance, and it is also how handwriting search works in Japanese dictionaries.
Readings
On'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading)
ユウウ
Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading)
やさ.しいすぐ.れるまさ.る
In a kun'yomi reading, the dot separates the kanji from its okurigana: かた.る is read かたる and written 語る. A hyphen marks a bound position, like -び in 日.
At a glance
| Meaning | tenderness, excel, surpass, actor, superiority, gentleness |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 17 |
| JLPT level | N3 |
| Taught in Japan | grade 6 |
| Frequency rank | 334 of 2,501 |
Common words with 優
The most frequent words using this kanji, most common first, with furigana readings. Click one to open it in the reader.
- 優しいtender; kind; gentle; graceful
- 優秀superior; excellent; brilliant; outstanding
- 優先preference; priority; precedence; right of way
- 優れるto be better (than); to be superior; to surpass; to excel
- 優雅elegant; graceful; refined · leisurely; comfortable; easy; carefree
- 優しくするêtre gentil avec, bien traiter
- 優勝overall victory; championship; winning the title · (being in) heaven; bliss; perfect contentment
- 最優先maximum preference; maximum priority; priority handling
- 女優actress; female actor
- 優Excellent (grade); A · superiority; excellence
- 優等生honor student; honours student; model student; prize pupil
- 俳優actor; actress; player; performer
Keep going
Read real Japanese, not lists
A kanji list does not teach you to read. KanjiYome puts furigana and a dictionary on any Japanese text, offline, and turns the words you meet into review cards.