Lesson L4N4N4 Kanji in Context⏱ 20 min

Time and Number Kanji

This lesson introduces essential N4 kanji such as 時 (time/hour), 分 (minute), 半 (half), 日 (day), 月 (month), 年 (year), and the basic number characters from 一 to 十. You will practice reading and writing these kanji in context—telling time, giving dates, and using common counters like 時, 分, and 円. The focus is on recognizing these kanji in realistic sentences and building fluency with time-related vocabulary.

🎯 Goal: Learn N4 kanji related to time expressions and numbers in context.

Lesson Content

Learning Goal

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read and write N4-level kanji for time expressions (hours, minutes, days, months) and numbers (tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands) in context. You will also understand how these kanji combine to form common time-related words.

Concept

In Japanese, time and number kanji are often combined to express specific times, dates, and durations. For example, the kanji for "hour" (時, ji) and "minute" (分, fun/pun) attach directly to numbers. Similarly, number kanji like 十 (ten), 百 (hundred), 千 (thousand), and 万 (ten-thousand) stack to form larger numbers. Mastering these patterns is essential for reading schedules, appointments, and everyday time expressions.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Number Kanji (N4 level)

Kanji	Romaji	Meaning	Example (with romaji)
十	juu	ten	十人 (juu-nin) – ten people
百	hyaku	hundred	百円 (hyaku-en) – 100 yen
千	sen	thousand	千円 (sen-en) – 1,000 yen
万	man	ten-thousand	一万 (ichi-man) – 10,000

Writing tip: 十 is a simple cross. 百 looks like a "hundred" with a roof (the top stroke). 千 has a curved top like a thousand-year-old tree. 万 is like a cross with a hook – imagine "10,000" as a big number that hooks onto others.

2. Time Kanji (N4 level)

Kanji	Romaji	Meaning	Example (with romaji)
時	ji	hour, time	三時 (san-ji) – 3 o'clock
分	fun / pun	minute	十分 (juu-pun) – 10 minutes
半	han	half	三時半 (san-ji-han) – 3:30
前	mae	before, ago	十分前 (juu-pun-mae) – 10 minutes before
後	go / ato	after, later	十分後 (juu-pun-go) – 10 minutes after
日	nichi / hi	day	毎日 (mai-nichi) – every day
月	getsu / tsuki	month	今月 (kon-getsu) – this month
年	nen	year	今年 (kotoshi / kon-nen) – this year

Reading note: 分 changes pronunciation to pun after certain numbers (e.g., 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10). For example: 一分 (ip-pun), 三分 (san-pun), 十分 (juu-pun). After 2, 5, 7, 9 it stays fun: 二分 (ni-fun), 五分 (go-fun).

3. Combining Numbers and Time

Numbers stack left to right: 十 (10) + 二 (2) = 十二 (juu-ni, 12). Then add time kanji.

Expression	Kanji	Romaji	Meaning
12:30	十二時半	juu-ni-ji-han	12:30
10 minutes before 3	三時十分前	san-ji juu-pun-mae	10 to 3
5 minutes after 8	八時五分後	hachi-ji go-fun-go	5 past 8
100 years	百年	hyaku-nen	100 years
10,000 yen	一万円	ichi-man-en	10,000 yen

Mini Examples

今は三時十分です。
Ima wa san-ji juu-pun desu.
It is 3:10 now.
会議は九時半からです。
Kaigi wa ku-ji han kara desu.
The meeting is from 9:30.
千円で買えますか？
Sen-en de kaemasu ka?
Can I buy it for 1,000 yen?
毎年、一万円を貯めます。
Mai-nen, ichi-man-en o tamemasu.
Every year, I save 10,000 yen.

Common Mistake

Mixing up 前 (mae) and 後 (go/ato) in time expressions.

Correct: 十分前 (juu-pun-mae) = 10 minutes before
Incorrect: 十分後 (juu-pun-go) when you mean "before" – that actually means "10 minutes after"
Tip: 前 = before (think "previous"), 後 = after (think "later")

Forgetting 分 changes to pun after 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10.

一分 = ip-pun (not ichi-fun)
三分 = san-pun (not san-fun)
十分 = juu-pun (not juu-fun)

Quick Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct kanji or reading.

今は___時半です。 (It is 7:30)
Answer: 七 (shichi / nana)
会議は___分後です。 (The meeting is in 10 minutes)
Answer: 十 (juu) → 十分後 (juu-pun-go)
この本は___円です。 (This book is 2,000 yen)
Answer: 二千 (ni-sen)
毎___、日本語を勉強します。 (Every day, I study Japanese)
Answer: 日 (nichi) → 毎日 (mai-nichi)

Summary and Next Step

You now know the key N4 kanji for numbers (十, 百, 千, 万) and time (時, 分, 半, 前, 後, 日, 月, 年). You can combine them to read and write times like 十二時半 (12:30) and amounts like 一万円 (10,000 yen). Next, practice using these in real sentences, such as telling time or talking about dates. In the next lesson, we will add kanji for days of the week and months to expand your time vocabulary further.