会 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N4)
What it means
At its core, 会 is about people meeting and gathering. You'll see it in two roles: as the standalone verb 会う ("to meet" a person) and as a building block inside lots of group- and event-related words — 会社 ("company"), 会議 ("meeting/conference"), 会話 ("conversation"), 社会 ("society"), and 会場 ("venue"). The throughline is always people together: when you spot 会 in a new word, it almost certainly has something to do with meeting, a group, or an occasion where people assemble.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | あ.う | 会う (to meet a person) |
| on'yomi | カイ | 会社 (company), 会議 (meeting), 会話 (conversation), 社会 (society) |
| on'yomi | エ | 会釈 (えしゃく, a slight bow) — rare |
Here's the usual rule of thumb: the kun'yomi (あ.う) shows up when the kanji stands alone with a hiragana ending, while the on'yomi (カイ) appears inside two-kanji compounds. So 会う uses あ.う, but 会社・会議・会話 all flip to カイ. The second on'yomi, エ, is rare — you'll mostly meet it in 会釈 (えしゃく), so just file it away as an exception.
One more thing worth flagging: あ.う takes the particle に for the person you meet — 友だちに会う ("meet a friend").
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 6, written top to bottom — the "roof" 𠆢 across the top first, then the parts beneath it.
- Radical: 会 is classified under the 人 (person) radical, which here appears as the slanted "roof" 𠆢 on top. That makes good sense: 会 is the kanji of people coming together, so a "person" element sitting over the whole character is an easy hook to remember.
Picture people gathering under one roof to meet — that mental image lines up neatly with both the shape and the meaning.
Common words using 会
Notice the reading split in action: the lone verb 会う takes あ.う, while every compound (会社, 会議, 会話, 社会, 会場) switches to カイ. That's the rule of thumb from above, working exactly as advertised.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは駅で友だちに会いました。
ヤッタンは えきで ともだちに あいました。
Yattan met a friend at the station.
会う — the kun'yomi あ.う reading. Note the に particle marking the person you meet.
モチのお父さんは大きい会社で働いています。
モチの おとうさんは おおきい かいしゃで はたらいて います。
Mochi's dad works at a big company.
会社 (かいしゃ) — the on'yomi カイ in a compound.
先生は「会議の後で会いましょう」と言いました。
せんせいは「かいぎの あとで あいましょう」と いいました。
Sensei said, 'Let's meet after the meeting.'
Both readings in one line: 会議 (カイ) and 会いましょう (あ.う).
Quick recap
- 会 = meet / meeting / association; 6 strokes; classified under the 人 (person) radical.
- あ.う when it stands alone (会う), and it takes に for the person met; カイ in compounds (会社, 会議, 会話, 社会, 会場).
- エ is a rare on'yomi — mainly 会釈 (えしゃく).
- Don't mix up 会う ("to meet" a person) with its homophone 合う ("to match / fit together").
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 会 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 会 in 会う vs 会社?
In 会う it's the kun'yomi あ (会う = あう, 'to meet'). In 会社 it's the on'yomi カイ (会社 = かいしゃ, 'company'). As a rule, two-kanji compounds take the on'yomi.
How many strokes does 会 have?
会 has 6 strokes and is classified under the 人 (person) radical, which appears as the 𠆢 'roof' across the top of the character.
What's the difference between 会う and 合う?
Both are read あう. 会う (with 会) means 'to meet' a person and takes the particle に. 合う (with 合) means 'to match, fit, or agree.' Same sound, different kanji and meaning.
When is 会 read エ?
The エ reading is rare. You'll mainly see it in 会釈 (えしゃく, 'a slight bow / nod'). For everyday N4 study, focus on カイ and あ.う.