📖 Meaning & Origin
The 男 radical combines 田 (rice field) and 力 (strength/power) — a man is one who uses strength in the fields. It represents males, men, and masculinity.
📚 Kanji by JLPT Level
✍️ Where it appears & how it changes shape
男 is not a radical in the strict sense. It is a compound of 田 (rice field) over 力 (strength), and dictionaries file it under 田. It is presented here because learners meet it as a unit, but you will rarely find it inside other kanji.
🔍 Don't confuse it with
The lower half of 男, and a radical in its own right. It appears in 動, 助 and 勉, all involving effort.
The upper half. On its own it means rice field and appears in 町, 界 and 思.
📈 Beyond N5 — what comes next
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 動 | どう / うごく | to move | N4 |
| 助 | じょ / たすける | to help | N3 |
| 努 | ど / つとめる | 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.
🗣️ Words you will actually meet
🎯 How to use this radical in JLPT study
Because 男 seldom appears as a building block, the useful move is to study its two halves instead. 力 in particular is productive: once you recognise it, 動, 助, 努 and 勉 all become guessable as words about effort. In vocabulary, 男 mostly appears as 男 (おとこ), 男性 (だんせい) and 男の子 (おとこのこ).
⚠️ The mistake I see most often
Searching for 男 as a radical in a paper dictionary. Look under 田, its actual radical, or under the stroke count.
💡 Teacher's Memory Tip
Rice field (田) + strength (力) = man (男). The image: a farmer working hard in the field. That combination tells you 男 is about a man.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The 男 radical means 'man' or 'male.' It's composed of 田 (field) + 力 (power), reflecting the ancient idea of a man as a laborer of the land.
At N5, 男 (man/male) is the core kanji. You'll also encounter it in 男の人 (man), 男性 (male), and contrast it with 女 (woman).
Remember: field (田) + power (力) = man (男). A man working in the field. The combination formula is your mnemonic.
Other N5 Radicals
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