📖 Meaning & Origin
The 木 radical is a pictogram of a tree — a vertical trunk with roots below and branches above. It appears in kanji about trees, nature, wood, and things made of wood.
📚 Kanji by JLPT Level
💡 Teacher's Memory Tip
One tree 木, two trees 林 (grove), three trees 森 (forest) — the pattern is visual and logical. More trees = more nature.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The 木 radical means 'tree' or 'wood.' It's one of the clearest pictographic radicals — the shape literally looks like a tree with branches and roots.
N5 kanji with 木: 木 (tree), 本 (book/origin — a tree with a mark at the root = root/basis), 林 (grove — two trees), 森 (forest — three trees).
Draw a cross (+) then add a base — it looks like a tree. Stack two 木 for a grove, three for a forest. Thinking 'tree' instantly tells you the kanji is nature-related.
Other N5 Radicals
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