菌 — “Germ / Fungus / Bacteria” in Japanese

Master (高手)きん

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“Germ / Fungus / Bacteria” in Japanese is 菌, read kin (きん). 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 細菌 (bacteria).

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What does 菌 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	菌
Meaning	Germ / Fungus / Bacteria
Readings	きん
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	細菌 (bacteria)

How to read 菌

菌 is read kin (きん) depending on the word.

Words with 菌

細菌

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Kanji read the same way as 菌

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

Updated: 2026-08-28