当 — “to hit / appropriate” in Japanese

Grade 2とう, あ

Radical ⼹ · radical 58 The building block this kanji is filed under

“to hit / appropriate” in Japanese is 当, read tou, a (とう, あ). It is a Grade 2 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 2 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 当番 (duty shift).

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What does 当 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	当
Meaning	to hit / appropriate
Readings	とう, あ
Grade	Grade 2 (Easy)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	当番 (duty shift)

How to read 当

当 is read tou (とう) or a (あ) depending on the word.

Words with 当

当番とうばん
当時とうじ
給食当番きゅうしょくとうばん
弁当
担当
該当

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Kanji read the same way as 当

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

Read this character in a real sentence

Updated: 2026-08-28