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JLPT N116画 · 16 strokesradical 土freq #1407

lot, earth, soil

On'yomi (音読み)

  • ジョウ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • つち

Mnemonic

Imagine a giant stone balancing on the earth, creating fertile soil where crops flourish, representing the essence of land and its richness.

About this kanji

The kanji 壌 primarily means "earth" or "soil," and it is often used as a noun. A common compound is 土壌 (どじょう), which means "soil" and is frequently used in discussions about farming and the environment. Another interesting compound is 平壌 (ピョンヤン), the name of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Additionally, you might see 天壌 (てんじょう), meaning "heaven and earth," used poetically. A typical usage note is that 壌 can sound quite formal, so you might encounter it mainly in written text rather than everyday conversation.

Example sentences

  • 豊かな壌土で農業が栄えている。

    Agriculture is thriving in the rich soil.

Meanings across languages

English
lot, earth, soil
Tiếng Việt
mảnh đất, đất, đất đai
日本語
土地, 土, 土壌
한국어
부동산, 땅, 토양
中文
地块, 土壤, 土
id
lahan, tanah
th
แปลง, ดิน, พื้นดิน
es
terreno, tierra, suelo
fr
lot, terre, sol
de
Parzelle, Erde, Boden
pt
lote, terra, solo

Common compounds

  • 土壌どじょうsoil, breeding ground (for), fertile ground (for)
  • 平壌ピョンヤンPyongyang (North Korea)
  • 天壌てんじょうheaven and earth
  • 霄壌しょうじょうheaven and earth
  • 雲壌うんじょうclouds and earth, great difference
  • 撃壌げきじょうto stamp on the ground rhythmically while singing, ancient Chinese game of wooden clog throwing
  • 黄壌こうじょうyellow soil, loess, Hades
  • 壌土じょうどsoil, loamy soil, loam

Want to actually learn this kanji?

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