耐 — “-proof / Enduring” in Japanese

Master (高手)たい, た

Radical ⽽ · radical 126 The building block this kanji is filed under

“-proof / Enduring” in Japanese is 耐, read tai, ta (たい, た). 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 耐久 (durability).

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What does 耐 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	耐
Meaning	-proof / Enduring
Readings	たい, た
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	耐久 (durability)

How to read 耐

耐 is read tai (たい) or ta (た) depending on the word.

Words with 耐

耐久

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Kanji read the same way as 耐

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

Updated: 2026-08-28