Japanese kanji can sometimes be confusing—especially when several characters look almost the same! 👀

A small extra line, dot, or change in position can completely change the meaning.

In this guide, we’ll compare five groups of similar-looking JLPT N5 kanji to help you spot the differences more easily!

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1. 木 vs 本

木 — Tree

Meaning: tree / wood

木 looks like a simple tree with branches and roots. 🌳

Example:

木きがあります。
→ There is a tree.

本 — Book

Meaning: book

本 is very similar to 木, but it has one extra line near the bottom.

木 → tree 🌳
本 → tree + a line at the base

That extra line originally represents the root or base of the tree.

Example:

本ほんを読よみます。
→ I read a book.

💡 Easy Tip

Look at the bottom:

木 = no extra line
本 = extra line

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2. 休 vs 体

休 — Rest

Meaning: rest

休 is made up of:

人 (person) + 木 (tree)

Imagine a person leaning against a tree and taking a rest. 🌳😴

Example:

少すこし休やすみます。
→ I’ll rest for a little while.

体 — Body

Meaning: body

体 looks similar to 休, but the right side is different:

休 = 人 + 木
体 = 人 + 本

Example:

体からだは大切たいせつです。
→ The body is important.

💡 Easy Tip

The difference is on the right:

休 → 木
体 → 本

So, look for the extra line!

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3. 大 vs 太 vs 犬

These three kanji are especially easy to mix up! The main thing to watch is the dot.

大 — Big

Meaning: big / large

大 has no dot.

Example:

大おおきいです。
→ It’s big.

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太 — Thick / Fat

Meaning: thick / fat

太 is 大 with a dot inside.

Example:

このペンは太ふといです。
→ This pen is thick.

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犬 — Dog

Meaning: dog

犬 also has a dot, but the dot is in a different position.

🐶 Think of the dot as part of the dog’s shape—or even a little tail!

Example:

犬いぬがいます。
→ There is a dog.

💡 Easy Tip

大 = no dot
太 = dot inside
犬 = dot on the upper right

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4. 白 vs 百

白 — White

Meaning: white

Example:

白しろい猫ねこです。
→ It’s a white cat.

百 — One Hundred

Meaning: 100

These kanji look similar, but check the top!

白 starts with a short stroke.
百 has 一 at the top.

Example:

百ひゃく円えんです。
→ It’s 100 yen.

💡 Easy Tip

白 = white
百 = starts with 一 and means 100

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5. 石 vs 右

石 — Stone

Meaning: stone / rock

🪨

Example:

大おおきい石いしがあります。
→ There is a big stone.

右 — Right

Meaning: right

👉

Example:

右みぎに曲まがってください。
→ Please turn right.

💡 Easy Tip

Both kanji have 口 at the bottom, so look carefully at the top!

石 has a more horizontal shape at the top.
右 has a different stroke shape.

Practice writing them side by side to notice the difference more easily.

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One Small Difference Can Change Everything!

When learning kanji, don’t just look at the overall shape. Pay attention to the small details! 👀

A single extra line can change 木 into 本. A dot can turn 大 into 太 or 犬. Even changing one stroke can create a completely different kanji.

Compare similar kanji side by side, and those confusing characters will gradually become much easier to recognize! 🌸

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