照 — “shine / illuminate” in Japanese

Grade 4しょう, て

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“shine / illuminate” in Japanese is 照, read shou, te (しょう, て). It is a Grade 4 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 4 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 対照 (contrast).

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What does 照 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	照
Meaning	shine / illuminate
Readings	しょう, て
Grade	Grade 4 (Upper)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	対照 (contrast)

How to read 照

照 is read shou (しょう) or te (て) depending on the word.

Words with 照

対照

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Kanji read the same way as 照

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

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Updated: 2026-08-28