Lesson L7N4N4 Kanji in Context⏱ 20 min

Money and Shopping Kanji

This lesson introduces key N4-level kanji commonly encountered in transactions, price tags, and store signage. You will practice reading and writing kanji for currency, buying/selling, and cost-related terms such as 高 (expensive) and 安 (cheap). Through example compounds and contextual sentences, build vocabulary for everyday shopping situations in Japan.

🎯 Goal: Learn N4 kanji related to money, shopping, and prices.

Lesson Content

Learning Goal

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read and write 6 N4 kanji related to money, shopping, and prices. You will understand their meanings, common readings, and how they appear in real shopping situations.

Concept

In Japanese, kanji for money and shopping are everywhere: on price tags, receipts, store signs, and menus. These characters often combine with numbers to show costs, discounts, and payments. Mastering them will help you shop with confidence in Japan.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. 円 (えん / en) – Yen (Japanese currency)

Meaning: yen, circle, round
Readings: えん (en), まるい (marui – round)
Stroke count: 4 strokes
Writing tip: Start with the top horizontal line, then the left vertical, then the inner vertical, and finish with the bottom horizontal line. It looks like a box with a small line inside.
Example: 100円 (ひゃくえん / hyaku en) – 100 yen

2. 金 (きん / kin) – Gold, money, metal

Meaning: gold, money, metal
Readings: きん (kin), かね (kane – money)
Stroke count: 8 strokes
Writing tip: The top part looks like a person wearing a hat (人). The bottom is two horizontal lines and a vertical line. Think of a gold coin.
Example: お金 (おかね / okane) – money

3. 買 (かう / kau) – Buy

Meaning: buy, purchase
Readings: かう (kau), ばい (bai)
Stroke count: 12 strokes
Writing tip: The top is a net (罒) – imagine a net catching items you want to buy. The bottom is 貝 (shell), which was used as money in ancient times.
Example: 買い物 (かいもの / kaimono) – shopping

4. 売 (うる / uru) – Sell

Meaning: sell, sale
Readings: うる (uru), ばい (bai)
Stroke count: 7 strokes
Writing tip: The top is 士 (samurai) – a samurai selling his sword. The bottom is 儿 (legs). Keep it simple: 売 is like "sell" with a samurai.
Example: 売り場 (うりば / uriba) – sales floor, department

5. 高 (たかい / takai) – High, expensive

Meaning: high, expensive, tall
Readings: たかい (takai), こう (kou)
Stroke count: 10 strokes
Writing tip: The top is 亠 (lid), then 口 (mouth), then 冂 (enclosure), and 口 again. Think of a tall building with many floors.
Example: 高い (たかい / takai) – expensive, high

6. 安 (やすい / yasui) – Cheap, safe, peaceful

Meaning: cheap, safe, peaceful
Readings: やすい (yasui), あん (an)
Stroke count: 6 strokes
Writing tip: The top is 宀 (roof), the bottom is 女 (woman). Imagine a woman under a roof feeling safe and paying a low price.
Example: 安い (やすい / yasui) – cheap

Mini Examples

Kanji	Japanese	Romaji	English
円	500円	ごひゃくえん (go-hyaku en)	500 yen
金	お金がない	おかねがない (okane ga nai)	I have no money
買	本を買う	ほんをかう (hon o kau)	Buy a book
売	この店は何を売る？	このみせはなにをうる？ (kono mise wa nani o uru?)	What does this store sell?
高	この時計は高い	このとけいはたかい (kono tokei wa takai)	This watch is expensive
安	この靴は安い	このくつはやすい (kono kutsu wa yasui)	These shoes are cheap

Common Mistake

Confusing 買 (buy) and 売 (sell) – They look similar but are opposites. Remember: 買 has a net (罒) on top – you catch things you buy. 売 has a samurai (士) – samurai sell their services. Also, don't mix up 高 (expensive) with 安 (cheap) – 高 has more strokes (10) = more money = expensive; 安 has fewer strokes (6) = less money = cheap.

Quick Practice

Fill in the blank: この店はとても____い (expensive).
Answer: 高
Fill in the blank: 私は100____で買った (yen).
Answer: 円
Match the kanji to its meaning:
a) 買 – buy / sell
b) 安 – cheap / expensive
Answers: a) buy, b) cheap

Summary and Next Step

You've learned 6 key kanji for money and shopping: 円 (yen), 金 (money), 買 (buy), 売 (sell), 高 (expensive), and 安 (cheap). Practice writing them and spotting them on signs or receipts. Next, try combining them with numbers and counters (like ～円, ～個) to make full price sentences.