弱
弱 — Weak
weak, frail
On’yomiジャク (jaku)
Kun’yomiよわい (yowai)
Kun’yomiよわる (yowaru)
Kun’yomiよわまる (yowamaru)
Kun’yomiよわめる (yowameru)
Stroke order (10 strokes)
Watch the strokes draw themselves in the correct order — numbers mark where each stroke starts. Diagram from KanjiVG (CC BY-SA).
Common words using 弱
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 弱点 | じゃくてん jakuten | weak point; weakness; shortcoming |
| 弱者 | じゃくしゃ jakusha | weak person; the weak; vulnerable person |
| 弱体 | じゃくたい jakutai | weak constitution; weak body; weak (organization, system, etc.) |
| 弱気 | よわき yowaki | timid; weak-kneed; fainthearted |
| か弱い | かよわい kayowai | weak; feeble; delicate |
| 弱 | じゃく jaku | a little less than; a little under; slightly fewer than |
Study notes
弱 is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 10 strokes. It is taught in Japanese elementary school (grade 2), so native children learn it early — a good sign it appears everywhere. Ranked #958 of the 2,500 most frequent kanji in newspapers. On’yomi (音読み) are Chinese-derived readings mostly used in compound words; kun’yomi (訓読み) are native Japanese readings, with any highlighted part written in hiragana after the kanji (okurigana).
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