📖 Meaning & Origin
The 土 radical represents earth, soil, and the ground. Originally a pictogram of a plant sprouting from the ground. It appears in kanji about land, places, and earthen things.
📚 Kanji by JLPT Level
✍️ Where it appears & how it changes shape
土 appears on the left in 地, 場, 坂 and 城, and at the bottom in 堂 and 型. On the left it narrows slightly but keeps its three strokes.
🔍 Don't confuse it with
The classic pair. In 土 the lower horizontal is the longer one; in 士 the upper one is longer. 士 means samurai or professional, as in 弁護士.
Three horizontals instead of two. 王 is king.
📈 Beyond N5 — what comes next
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 場 | じょう / ば | place, venue | N4 |
| 坂 | はん / さか | slope, hill | N3 |
| 増 | ぞう / ふえる | to increase | N3 |
JLPT does not publish official kanji lists by level. These levels follow the commonly used reference lists and are a guide, not a guarantee.
🗣️ Words you will actually meet
Irregular: the three kanji together are read みやげ. A classic jukujikun.
🎯 How to use this radical in JLPT study
土 covers ground in both senses: literal soil (地, 畑) and places built on it (場, 城, 坂). Practise the stroke-length difference against 士 deliberately, once. Both appear in ordinary vocabulary, and writing them ambiguously by hand causes real confusion.
⚠️ The mistake I see most often
Writing the two horizontals the same length, which makes 土 and 士 indistinguishable. Make the bottom stroke clearly longer.
💡 Teacher's Memory Tip
A cross (+) sitting on a flat base — like a sprout pushing up through the soil. 土 = earth, ground, something rooted.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The 土 radical means 'earth' or 'soil.' It represents the ground we stand on, which is why it appears in 地 (ground/place) and words about land.
N5 kanji with 土: 土 (earth/soil), 地 (ground/earth/place — earth + a snake-like stroke indicating location).
A cross (+) on a base line — a plant sprouting from soil. 土 = anything rooted in the ground.
Other N5 Radicals
Practice 「土」 kanji with AI
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