๐ Meaning & Origin
The ็ท radical combines ็ฐ (rice field) and ๅ (strength/power), so a man is one who uses strength in the fields. It represents males, men, and masculinity.
๐ Kanji by JLPT Level
โ๏ธ Where it appears & how it changes shape
็ท is not a radical in the strict sense. It is a compound of ็ฐ (rice field) over ๅ (strength), and dictionaries file it under ็ฐ. It is presented here because learners meet it as a unit, but you will rarely find it inside other kanji.
๐ Don't confuse it with
The lower half of ็ท, and a radical in its own right. It appears in ๅ, ๅฉ and ๅ, all involving effort.
The upper half. On its own it means rice field and appears in ็บ, ็ and ๆ.
๐ Beyond N5 โ what comes next
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๅ | ใฉใ / ใใใ | to move | N4 |
| ๅฉ | ใใ / ใใใใ | to help | N3 |
| ๅช | ใฉ / ใคใจใใ | to strive | 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.
๐ฃ๏ธ Words you will actually meet
๐ฏ How to use this radical in JLPT study
Because ็ท seldom appears as a building block, the useful move is to study its two halves instead. ๅ in particular is productive: once you recognise it, ๅ, ๅฉ, ๅช and ๅ all become guessable as words about effort. In vocabulary, ็ท mostly appears as ็ท (ใใจใ), ็ทๆง (ใ ใใใ) and ็ทใฎๅญ (ใใจใใฎใ).
โ ๏ธ The mistake I see most often
Searching for ็ท as a radical in a paper dictionary. Look under ็ฐ, its actual radical, or under the stroke count.
๐ก Teacher's Memory Tip
Rice field (็ฐ) + strength (ๅ) = man (็ท). The image: a farmer working hard in the field. That combination tells you ็ท is about a man.
โ Frequently Asked Questions
The ็ท radical means 'man' or 'male.' It's composed of ็ฐ (field) + ๅ (power), reflecting the ancient idea of a man as a laborer of the land.
At N5, ็ท (man/male) is the core kanji. You'll also encounter it in ็ทใฎไบบ (man), ็ทๆง (male), and contrast it with ๅฅณ (woman).
Remember: field (็ฐ) + power (ๅ) = man (็ท). A man working in the field. The combination formula is your mnemonic.
Other N5 Radicals
Practice ใ็ทใ kanji with AI
Nihongo Pass uses spaced repetition to help you master all N5 kanji.