280

Change, Strange

か-わる (ka-waru), か-える (ka-eru)

JLPT N3

Interesting Fact

The kanji 変 appears in many everyday words like 変更 (change), 大変 (very difficult), and 変化 (change). Interestingly, 大変 originally meant 'a terrible situation' before becoming a common intensifier meaning 'very.'

Memory Trick

Imagine a CHAMELEON suddenly CHANGING colors until it looks STRANGE. The unusual transformation represents 変.

Readings

Onyomi: ヘン (hen)

Kunyomi: か-わる (ka-waru), か-える (ka-eru)

Example Words

変わる
かわる (kawaru)
To change
変更
へんこう (henkou)
Change, Modification
大変
たいへん (taihen)
Very, Difficult
変化
へんか (henka)
Change

Example Sentence

予定が 変わりました。

よていが かわりました。

yotei ga kawarimashita

The schedule has changed.

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