場 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N4)
What it means
At its core, 場 points to a place where something happens — not just any spot, but a setting with a purpose: a parking 場, a work 場, a meeting 場, the 場 of a scene in a story. You'll meet it in two roles. As a standalone word with hiragana it reads ば (場所 "place," 売り場 "sales counter"), and as a building block inside two-kanji compounds it usually reads ジョウ (工場 "factory," 会場 "venue"). Whenever you see 場 in a new word, you can safely bet it names where the action is.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | ば | 場所 (place), 場合 (case/situation), 売り場 (sales floor), 広場 (plaza) |
| on'yomi | ジョウ | 工場 (factory), 会場 (venue), 駐車場 (parking lot), 運動場 (sports ground) |
Here's the rule of thumb in action: the kun'yomi (ば) shows up when 場 is more or less on its own or paired with native-Japanese words, while the on'yomi (ジョウ) appears inside Sino-Japanese (two-kanji) compounds. So 場所 and 売り場 use ば, but 工場 and 会場 use ジョウ. A useful caution: in 場所 (ばしょ) the second kanji 所 also softens, and 駐車場 reads ちゅうしゃじょう — three kanji, but 場 still takes ジョウ.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 12, written left to right — the 土 radical on the left first, then the right-hand side from top to bottom.
- Radical: the left part is 土, the "earth" radical (つち). That makes intuitive sense: a 場 is a piece of ground set aside for some activity — a field, a yard, a site. The right-hand component carries the sound and shows up in other kanji too, but the 土 on the left is your meaning clue.
Recognizing the 土 radical is genuinely handy: meet a new kanji with 土 on the left and you can often guess it relates to ground, land, or a location.
Common words using 場
Notice the reading split: 場所 and 売り場 keep the kun'yomi ば, while 駐車場, 工場, and 会場 flip to the on'yomi ジョウ. That's the compound rule working exactly as advertised.
One word worth a note: 場合 (ばあい) also powers a common grammar pattern, 〜場合 ("in the case of ~"), as in "if it rains" or "in case of fire." You'll see it a lot in signs and instructions, so it's a great word to lock in early.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは試験の場所が分からなくて、駅で先生に聞いた。
ヤッタンは しけんの ばしょが わからなくて、えきで せんせいに きいた。
Yattan didn't know the place for the exam, so he asked his teacher at the station.
場所 — the kun'yomi ば reading.
モチのお父さんは大きな工場で働いている。
モチの おとうさんは おおきな こうじょうで はたらいている。
Mochi's father works at a big factory.
工場 — the on'yomi ジョウ reading inside a compound.
弟は「雨の場合は会場が変わるよ」と教えてくれた。
おとうとは「あめの ばあいは かいじょうが かわるよ」と おしえてくれた。
My little brother told me, In case of rain, the venue changes.
Both readings in one sentence: 場合 (ば) and 会場 (ジョウ). Note the 〜場合 'in the case of' pattern.
Quick recap
- 場 = place / location / scene; 12 strokes; built on the 土 "earth" radical.
- ば when it stands alone or with native words (場所, 売り場, 場合, 広場); ジョウ in compounds (工場, 会場, 駐車場).
- 場合 also drives the grammar 〜場合 ("in the case of ~") — common on signs and notices.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 場 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 場 in 場所 vs 工場?
In 場所 it's the kun'yomi ば (場所 = ばしょ, 'place'). In 工場 it's the on'yomi ジョウ (工場 = こうじょう, 'factory'). As a rule, two-kanji compounds take the on'yomi ジョウ.
How many strokes does 場 have, and what's its radical?
場 has 12 strokes. Its radical is 土, the 'earth' radical on the left side, which fits the idea of a place or piece of ground where something happens.
What is the 〜場合 grammar pattern?
場合 (ばあい) means 'case' or 'situation', and 〜場合 means 'in the case of ~' or 'if ~'. For example, 雨の場合 means 'in case of rain'. It's common on signs and in instructions.
When is 場 read ば and when ジョウ?
Read it ば when 場 stands alone or joins native-Japanese words (場所, 売り場, 広場). Read it ジョウ inside Sino-Japanese compounds (工場, 会場, 駐車場).