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明
明 (readings: めい, みょう, あ, あか; Japanese kanji) means “bright / clear”. It is a Grade 2 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 2 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 明日 (tomorrow).
What does 明 mean?
| Kanji | 明 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | bright / clear |
| Readings | めい, みょう, あ, あか |
| Grade | Grade 2 (Easy) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
How to read 明
明 is read めい or みょう or あ or あか depending on the word.
Example words with 明
| Example | 明日 (tomorrow) |
|---|
Practice writing 明 — free
See 明's stroke order, take a quiz, and add it to your spaced-repetition review. KanjiSchool teaches all 1,026 Kyōiku kanji through real stories and news.
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Updated: 2026-07-14