JLPT N5 kanji. Readings, meaning, and how the character is built.
食 means to eat, food. It is a JLPT N5 kanji written in 9 strokes, read たべる or しょく. It is a pictograph: the character began as a picture of the thing itself, so it does not break down into smaller parts. It appears in 食堂 (cafeteria / dining hall) and 食べ物 (food).
食 is written in 9 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.
食 is a pictograph. It is not built from smaller parts: the character is a picture of the thing itself, which is why it cannot be broken down further.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 食堂 | しょくどう | cafeteria / dining hall |
| 食べ物 | たべもの | food |
| 食べる | たべる | to eat |
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