真 — “true / real” in Japanese

Grade 3しん, ま

Radical ⽬ · radical 109 The building block this kanji is filed under

“true / real” in Japanese is 真, read shin, ma (しん, ま). It is a Grade 3 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 3 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 真実 (truth).

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What does 真 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	真
Meaning	true / real
Readings	しん, ま
Grade	Grade 3 (Medium)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	真実 (truth)

How to read 真

真 is read shin (しん) or ma (ま) depending on the word.

Words with 真

写真しゃしん
真夏まなつ
真実
真珠
真摯

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Kanji read the same way as 真

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

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Updated: 2026-08-28