硝 — “Nitrate / Saltpeter” in Japanese

Master (高手)しょう

Radical ⽯ · radical 112 The building block this kanji is filed under

“Nitrate / Saltpeter” in Japanese is 硝, read shou (しょう). 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 硝酸 (nitric acid).

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What does 硝 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	硝
Meaning	Nitrate / Saltpeter
Readings	しょう
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	硝酸 (nitric acid)

How to read 硝

硝 is read shou (しょう) depending on the word.

Words with 硝

硝酸

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Kanji read the same way as 硝

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

Updated: 2026-08-28