幻 — “Phantasm / Vision / Dream / Illusion” in Japanese

Master (高手)げん, まぼろし

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“Phantasm / Vision / Dream / Illusion” in Japanese is 幻, read gen, maboroshi (げん, まぼろし). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 幻想 (fantasy).

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What does 幻 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	幻
Meaning	Phantasm / Vision / Dream / Illusion
Readings	げん, まぼろし
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	幻想 (fantasy)

How to read 幻

幻 is read gen (げん) or maboroshi (まぼろし) depending on the word.

Words with 幻

幻想

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Kanji read the same way as 幻

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28