JLPT N1 · Japanese kanji

駄

駄 — burdensome

Reading
ダ・タ
Meaning
burdensome; pack horse; horse load; send by horse; trivial; worthless
JLPT level
N1
Language
Japanese

About this kanji

駄 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N1 level. Its primary reading is ダ・タ and it means burdensome; pack horse; horse load; send by horse; trivial; worthless. 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.

駄 appears in everyday japanese words such as 駄作 (poor work), 下駄 (geta) and 無駄 (futility).

Japanese words containing 駄

Frequently asked questions

What does 駄 mean in Japanese?

駄 means burdensome; pack horse; horse load; send by horse; trivial; worthless in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N1 kanji every learner meets at that level.

How is 駄 read?

駄 is read ダ・タ. Reading it inside real words — 駄作 and 下駄 and more — is the fastest way to remember it.

What level is 駄 — is it JLPT N1?

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

How do you use 駄 in a word?

A common word containing 駄 is 駄作 (ださく) — "poor work". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.

How do I learn 駄 effectively?

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