Back to dictionary
JLPT N112画 · 12 strokesradical 日freq #1613

sparkle, clear, crystal

On'yomi (音読み)

  • ショウ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

Mnemonic

Imagine three bright suns shining together, their light forming perfect crystals that sparkle beautifully, illuminating everything with clarity and brilliance.

About this kanji

The kanji 晶 (shou) primarily means "sparkle," "clear," or "crystal." It is used as a noun and is often found in compounds that relate to clarity or crystalline forms. For instance, 液晶 (えきしょう, ekishou) means "liquid crystal," which is used in electronics, while 結晶 (けっしょう, kesshou) translates to "crystal," referring to a solid substance with a clear structure. Another example is 水晶 (すいしょう, suishou), meaning "rock crystal," which is a common gemstone. A usage note is that this kanji doesn't usually appear alone, but rather in these compounds, emphasizing its association with clarity and purity.

Example sentences

  • この結晶は非常に美しい。

    This crystal is very beautiful.

Meanings across languages

English
sparkle, clear, crystal
Tiếng Việt
lấp lánh
日本語
한국어
반짝임
中文
晶莹
id
berkilau, jernih, kristal
th
เปล่งประกาย, ชัดเจน, คริสตัล
es
brillar, claro, cristal
fr
étincelle, clair, cristal
de
funkeln, klar, Kristall
pt
brilhar, claro, cristal

Common compounds

  • 液晶えきしょうliquid crystal
  • 結晶けっしょうcrystal, crystallization, crystallisation
  • 水晶すいしょう(rock) crystal, high purity quartz
  • 水晶体すいしょうたいcrystalline lens (of the eye)
  • 晶化しょうかcrystallization, crystallisation
  • 氷晶ひょうしょうice crystals
  • 晶光しょうこうbrilliant light
  • 晶子しょうしcrystallite

Want to actually learn this kanji?

The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.