話 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its heart, 話 is about talking, speaking, and stories. You'll meet it in three roles: as a verb (話す, "to speak / talk"), as a standalone noun (話, "a story / a talk / a conversation"), and as a building block inside words about communication (会話 "conversation," 電話 "telephone," 話題 "topic"). The payoff is that whenever you spot 話 in a new word, you can safely bet it has something to do with speaking or a story — a quick shortcut to the meaning.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | はな.す | 話す (to speak, to talk) |
| kun'yomi | はなし | 話 (a story, a talk), 立ち話 (たちばなし, chatting while standing) |
| on'yomi | ワ | 会話 (conversation), 電話 (telephone), 話題 (topic) |
Here's a rule of thumb that works for many kanji: the kun'yomi (はな.す / はなし) tends to appear when the kanji stands alone — either as a verb with a hiragana ending (話す) or as a single-kanji noun (話). The on'yomi (ワ) shows up inside two-kanji compound words like 会話 and 電話. Spotting that pattern early will help you guess readings for words you haven't studied yet.
One small thing to watch: the noun 話 is read はなし, but the verb 話す is read はな.す with the okurigana す. Same kanji, slightly different job — keep an eye on the hiragana that follows.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 13. Write the 言 radical on the left first (top to bottom: the top stroke, the three short horizontal strokes, then the 口 "mouth" box at the bottom), then the right-hand side 舌 ("tongue") from top to bottom.
- Radical: the left part is 言 (げん), the "speech / words" radical. It appears in a whole family of "talking" kanji — 語 (language), 読 (read), 記 (write down / record). Meet a new kanji with 言 on the left and you can already guess it relates to words, speaking, or language.
Recognizing the 言 radical is genuinely useful: it instantly narrows down what an unfamiliar kanji is likely about.
Common words using 話
Notice the reading split in action: the lone verb 話す takes はな.す and the lone noun 話 takes はなし, while every compound (会話, 電話, 話題) flips to ワ. That's the rule of thumb above, working exactly as advertised.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは先生と日本語で話します。
ヤッタンは せんせいと にほんごで はなします。
Yattan talks with the teacher in Japanese.
話します — the kun'yomi はな.す reading (verb).
モチはヤッタンに電話をかけて、長い話をした。
モチは ヤッタンに でんわを かけて、ながい はなしを した。
Mochi called Yattan and had a long chat.
Two readings in one sentence: 電話 (ワ, compound) and 話 (はなし, standalone noun).
弟は英語の会話の練習が好きです。
おとうとは えいごの かいわの れんしゅうが すきです。
My little brother likes practicing English conversation.
会話 uses the on'yomi ワ, as compounds usually do.
Quick recap
- 話 = talk / speak / story; 13 strokes; built on the 言 "speech" radical.
- はな.す for the verb 話す, はなし for the standalone noun 話, ワ in compounds (会話, 電話, 話題).
- The 言 radical on a kanji's left hints "words / speaking" — as in 語, 読, and 記.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 話 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 話 in 話す vs 会話?
In 話す it's the kun'yomi はな (話す = はなす, 'to speak'). In 会話 it's the on'yomi ワ (会話 = かいわ, 'conversation'). As a rule, two-kanji compounds take the on'yomi.
What's the difference between 話 and 話す?
話 (はなし) is a noun meaning 'a story, a talk, a conversation.' 話す (はなす) is the verb 'to speak / to talk.' Same kanji — the hiragana ending す tells you it's the verb.
How many strokes does 話 have?
話 has 13 strokes. Write the 言 'speech' radical on the left first, then the right-hand 舌 part from top to bottom.
What does the radical in 話 tell me?
話 uses the 言 'speech / words' radical on the left. It signals the kanji relates to words, speaking, or language — also seen in 語 (language), 読 (read), and 記 (record).