JapaneseJLPT

Kanji - mountain

Kanji 山 meaning and readings

Kanji means mountain. Onyomi readings are サン (san) . Kunyomi readings are やま (yama).

JLPT N5Grade 1
Stroke order animation for kanji 山

Stroke order animation (3 strokes)

Stroke Order Diagram

Each box shows the kanji up to that stroke. Red dot indicates stroke start point.

Readings of

On'yomi (音読み)

サン(san)

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

やま(yama)
Japanese kanji 山 in different fonts

in different fonts

Vocabulary with

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mountainyamaやま
Mount Fujifujisan富士山ふじさん
Common words containing the kanji 山

More Information about

Common words with 山 (yama/san)

  • 山 (yama)(やま): mountain
  • 火山 (kazan)(かざん): volcano
  • 富士山 (Fujisan)(ふじさん): Mt. Fuji (modern reading ふじさん (fujisan))
  • 山登り (yamanobori)(やまのぼり)/登山 (tozan)(とざん): mountain climbing
  • 山頂 (sanchō)(さんちょう): summit
  • 山道 (yamamichi)(やまみち): mountain path
  • 山手線 (Yamanote-sen)(やまのてせん): Yamanote Line (Tokyo)

Cultural note: 山の日 (Yama no Hi)

8月11日 (hachigatsu jūichinichi) is 山の日 (Yama no Hi)(やまのひ): Japan’s Mountain Day to appreciate mountains—a popular day for hiking and summer trips.

When do we read サン (san)/ザン (zan)?

Many compounds use サン (san): 富士山 (Fujisan) Mt. Fuji, 登山 (tozan) mountain climbing, 山頂 (sanchō) summit. ザン (zan) appears by sound change in some words: 連山 (renzan)(れんざん) mountain range.

Useful expressions with 山 (yama)

  • 山ほどある (yama hodo aru)(やまほどある): there is a mountain of (a lot)
  • 山場 (yamaba)(やまば): climax; critical point
  • 山積み (yamazumi)(やまづみ): piled up (tasks, problems)
  • 山奥 (yamaoku)(やまおく): deep in the mountains

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