📖 Meaning & Origin
The 山 radical is a direct pictogram of a mountain with three peaks. It appears in kanji related to mountains, geography, and natural landscapes.
📚 Kanji by JLPT Level
✍️ Where it appears & how it changes shape
山 usually stands alone. When it combines, it sits on top (岩, 岸) or on the left (峠). It does not compress much, which makes it easy to spot inside larger kanji.
🔍 Don't confuse it with
Looks like two 山 stacked, but it is a single kanji meaning 'to exit' and is written with five strokes, not six.
Three strokes in both, but 川's run vertically and separately, while 山's are joined at the base.
📈 Beyond N5 — what comes next
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 岩 | がん / いわ | rock | N3 |
| 島 | とう / しま | island | N3 |
| 岸 | がん / きし | shore, bank | 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
山 is read さん here, not やま, which is common in mountain names.
🎯 How to use this radical in JLPT study
N5 gives you almost nothing to practise on here. The only N5 kanji containing 山 is 山 itself, which is normal and not a sign you have missed something. The payoff arrives at N3, where 岩, 島 and 岸 all appear and all mean what the radical suggests.
⚠️ The mistake I see most often
Treating 山 as a high-value radical to drill early. It is worth ten seconds now and will repay you later; spending study time on it at N5 has little return compared with 亻, 言 or 氵.
💡 Teacher's Memory Tip
Three peaks rising from a flat base — that's 山. The tallest peak is in the middle, just like a classic mountain silhouette.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The 山 radical means 'mountain.' It is one of the most visually obvious radicals — three vertical strokes of different heights make a mountain outline.
At N5 level, 山 (mountain) is the key kanji. As you advance to N4/N3, you'll encounter more kanji built on 山.
Draw three vertical lines — tall, taller, tall — on a flat base. The shape is a mountain. Simple and unforgettable.
Other N5 Radicals
Practice 「山」 kanji with AI
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