JLPT N1 · Japanese kanji

臭

臭 — stinking

Reading
シュウ・くさ.い・\~くさ.い・にお.う・にお.い
Meaning
stinking; ill-smelling; suspicious looking; odor; savor; fragrance; be fragrant; stink; glow; be bright
JLPT level
N1
Language
Japanese

About this kanji

臭 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N1 level. Its primary reading is シュウ・くさ.い・\~くさ.い・にお.う・にお.い and it means stinking; ill-smelling; suspicious looking; odor; savor; fragrance; be fragrant; stink; glow; be bright. 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.

臭 appears in everyday japanese words such as 臭い (odour), 生臭い (smelling of fish or blood) and 面倒臭い (bother to do).

Japanese words containing 臭

Frequently asked questions

What does 臭 mean in Japanese?

臭 means stinking; ill-smelling; suspicious looking; odor; savor; fragrance; be fragrant; stink; glow; be bright in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N1 kanji every learner meets at that level.

How is 臭 read?

臭 is read シュウ・くさ.い・\~くさ.い・にお.う・にお.い. Reading it inside real words — 臭い and 生臭い and more — is the fastest way to remember it.

What level is 臭 — is it JLPT N1?

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

How do you use 臭 in a word?

A common word containing 臭 is 臭い (くさい) — "odour". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.

How do I learn 臭 effectively?

Read it in context. Import any Japanese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 臭 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