JLPT N4 kanji. Readings, meaning, and how the character is built.
作 means to make. It is a JLPT N4 kanji written in 7 strokes, read つくる or さく. It combines 亻 (person), which carries the meaning, with 乍, which is there for its sound さく. It appears in 作文 (essay) and 作る (to make / to create).
作 is written in 7 strokes, in the order numbered below. Order matters: it is what makes handwriting legible, and it is how the character is looked up in a paper dictionary.
作 breaks into 2 parts.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 作文 | さくぶん | essay |
| 作る | つくる | to make / to create |
| 作品 | さくひん | work / piece / production |
乍 tends to carry the sound さく. They carry it; they do not all mean the same thing.
| Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 作 | さく | make, production |
| 昨 | さく | yesterday, previous |
| 酢 | さく | vinegar, sour |
These use 亻 or 乍 too. The part keeps its job from one character to the next, which is what makes it worth learning once.
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