証
証 — Evidence
evidence, proof, certificate
On’yomiショウ (shou)
Kun’yomiあかし (akashi)
Stroke order (12 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 証
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 証券 | しょうけん shouken | bond; bill; certificate |
| 証人 | しょうにん shounin | witness |
| 証言 | しょうげん shougen | testimony; (verbal) evidence |
| 保証 | ほしょう hoshou | guarantee; security; assurance |
| 証拠 | しょうこ shouko | evidence; proof |
| 証明 | しょうめい shoumei | proof; testimony; demonstration |
Study notes
証 is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 12 strokes. It is taught in Japanese elementary school (grade 5), so native children learn it early — a good sign it appears everywhere. Ranked #306 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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