Kanji1 / 12
善 kanji
virtuous, good, goodness
- JLPT level
- N1 (unofficial)
- First appears in
- N3 vocabulary
- Strokes
- 12
- School grade
- Grade 6 (elementary school)
Practice writing
Choose this kanji to write on five sheets. Save your practice to revisit it in My writing.
On readings
ゼン
Kun readings
よいいいよくよしとする
Variant forms
譱Words with 善
LevelWord & meaningActions
- —福善禍淫fortune follows the virtuous, calamity befalls the wicked; heaven rewards the good and punishes the evil
- —善の研究A Study of Good (1911 philosophical treatise by Kitarō Nishida)
- —勧善懲悪劇morality play
- —不善を為すto commit vice; to do evil
- —景気改善策economy recovery plan
- —善悪の区別distinction between right and wrong; distinction between good and bad
- —最善の措置best practices; best practice
- —善悪二元論good and evil dualism; Manicheanism
- —善良の風俗good morals; public order
- —勧善懲悪小説(Edo-period) didactic novel or fiction
- —最善を尽くすto do one's best; to do something to the best of one's ability
- —業務改善命令business improvement order
- —善意の第三者bona fide third party; bona fide third person
- —善玉ハッカーwhite hat hacker; ethical hacker
- —国際親善試合international friendly match
- —正直は最善の策honesty is the best policy
- —日本栄養改善学会Japan Dietetics Society
- —善玉コレステロールHDL cholesterol; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; good cholesterol
- —日本現報善悪霊異記Nihon Ryōiki (Heian-period collection of Buddhist stories)
- —悪に強いは善にも強いgreat sinners make great saints (after repenting)
Learn the words behind every kanji.
Each kanji lives in real JLPT words. Learn the words and the kanji come with them. Sign up free to get started.