JLPT N1 · Japanese kanji

刑

刑 — punish

Reading
ケイ
Meaning
punish; penalty; sentence; punishment
JLPT level
N1
Language
Japanese

About this kanji

刑 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N1 level. Its primary reading is ケイ and it means punish; penalty; sentence; punishment. To master it, see it in real Japanese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.

刑 appears in everyday japanese words such as 刑 (penalty), 刑罰 (judgement) and 死刑 (death penalty).

Japanese words containing 刑

Frequently asked questions

What does 刑 mean in Japanese?

刑 means punish; penalty; sentence; punishment in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N1 kanji every learner meets at that level.

How is 刑 read?

刑 is read ケイ. Reading it inside real words — 刑 and 刑罰 and more — is the fastest way to remember it.

What level is 刑 — is it JLPT N1?

Yes. 刑 is on the official JLPT N1 kanji list, so it can appear in that exam's reading and vocabulary sections.

How do you use 刑 in a word?

A common word containing 刑 is 刑 (けい) — "penalty". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.

How do I learn 刑 effectively?

Read it in context. Import any Japanese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 刑 becomes a one-tap lookup with SRS flashcards, so you meet it in real sentences instead of a list.

More JLPT N1 kanji

Learn every JLPT kanji in context

InputDojo gives you the full JLPT N5–N1 kanji list — plus one-tap lookups in any real Japanese content. Free to start.

Start free