電 Meaning, Reading, and Vocabulary｜Onyomi デン・Electricity
The kanji 電 is a basic JLPT N5 character meaning 'electricity' or 'lightning'.
Its onyomi is 'デン', and it is used in essential modern words like 電気 (electricity), 電話 (telephone), and 電車 (train).
You can easily memorize it by imagining the combination of rain (雨) and lightning (申).
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
電 originally meant 'lightning' striking from the sky. In modern times, it is most commonly used to mean 'electricity', referring to energy similar to lightning.
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
This character depicts a long bolt of lightning (申) striking from a rainy sky (雨). Starting from that intense flash of light, it is now primarily used to mean electricity.
On'yomi and kun'yomi
On reading
Commonly used words
Example sentences
Mini quiz
What is the correct onyomi for the kanji '電'?
One-line summary
電 is a combination of rain (雨) and lightning (申), and is an important N5 kanji widely used in essential modern Japanese words related to 'electricity'.
FAQ
Does 電 have a kunyomi?
No, there is no official kunyomi for 電 in the Joyo Kanji list. While it is sometimes associated with '稲妻(いなずま)' (lightning), it is almost never read with a kunyomi in daily life. You only need to memorize the onyomi 'デン'.
Does 電気(でんき) mean anything else besides 'electricity'?
Yes, while it refers to electricity as an energy source, it is often used in daily life to mean 'lights' or 'electric lamps'. For example, it is frequently used in phrases like '電気を消す' (turn off the lights).
