気 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
気 is one of those kanji that carries a whole atmosphere. Its core ideas are spirit, mind, energy, and air — the invisible "stuff" that fills you and the world around you. That's why it shows up everywhere: your mood (気持ち), your health and pep (元気), the weather in the sky (天気), even electricity flowing through wires (電気).
Think of 気 as a kind of energy or vibe. When you're full of it you're 元気 (genki, lively); when something is "off" in your body, that energy is disturbed — 病気 (byōki, illness). Once you tune in to this "energy / air" feeling, the long list of 気 words starts to make intuitive sense rather than feeling random.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| on'yomi | キ | 元気 (healthy), 天気 (weather), 電気 (electricity), 人気 (popularity) |
| on'yomi | ケ | 気配 (けはい, a sign / presence) — rare |
Two things make 気 friendly for beginners. First, it has no common kun'yomi — you won't see it standing alone with hiragana endings the way you do with 食べる or 行く. (Dictionaries list an old kun reading いき "breath," but you can safely ignore it at N5.) Second, the on'yomi is almost always キ. The ケ reading is the exception, surfacing in just a handful of words such as 気配 (けはい). So your default guess for 気 should always be キ.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 6, written from the top-left. Start with the sweeping "steam" lid that wraps over the top and down the left, then add the strokes tucked inside.
- Radical: 気 sits under the 气 "steam / vapor" radical (きがまえ). That curving top-and-left shape is meant to suggest rising steam or breath — perfect for a kanji about invisible energy and air.
Picturing steam rising off a hot bowl is a handy way to lock in both the shape and the meaning of 気 at once: air, breath, energy, all drifting upward.
Common words using 気
Notice how every single one of these reads 気 as キ. That consistency is a gift — unlike many kanji that flip between readings, 気 lets you settle on キ and be right almost every time.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは今日もとても元気です。
ヤッタンは きょうも とても げんきです。
Yattan is very healthy and lively again today.
元気 — 気 read as the on'yomi キ (げん-き).
モチは「明日の天気が気になる」と言いました。
モチは「あしたの てんきが きになる」と いいました。
Mochi said, I'm curious about tomorrow's weather.
Two キ words in one line: 天気 (てんき) and 気になる ('to be on one's mind').
弟が出かけるとき、先生は「気をつけて」と言いました。
おとうとが でかけるとき、せんせいは「きをつけて」と いいました。
When Yattan's little brother went out, Sensei said, Take care.
気をつけて is the everyday phrase for 'take care / be careful' — again キ.
Quick recap
- 気 = spirit / mind / energy / air; 6 strokes; uses the 气 "steam" radical.
- Almost always read キ (元気, 天気, 病気, 電気, 人気, 気持ち).
- The reading ケ is rare — mainly 気配 (けはい). There's no everyday kun'yomi.
- Remember the set phrase 気をつけて ("take care").
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 気 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How is 気 usually read?
Almost always with the on'yomi キ — as in 元気 (げんき), 天気 (てんき) and 電気 (でんき). A rarer on'yomi ケ appears in a few words like 気配 (けはい). There's no everyday kun'yomi reading at N5.
How many strokes does 気 have?
気 has 6 strokes and uses the 气 'steam / vapor' radical (きがまえ), the curving shape that wraps over the top and down the left side.
What does 気をつけて mean?
気をつけて (きをつけて) means 'take care' or 'be careful.' It's a very common parting phrase, literally 'attach your 気 (attention / energy),' and 気 is read キ.
Why does 気 appear in so many different words?
Its core meaning is the invisible 'energy / air / spirit' that fills you and the world — so it naturally covers health (元気), mood (気持ち), weather (天気) and even electricity (電気).