KanjiSchool
革
“revolution / leather” in Japanese is 革, read kaku, kawa (かく, かわ). It is a Grade 6 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 6 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 革命 (revolution).
Try it now
What does 革 mean?
Learn all 1,018 kanji with spaced-repetition review — free. Start free →
革のかばんを買う。
かわのかばんをかう。I buy a leather bag.
Get unlimited AI example sentences + native audio + saved progress. Start free →
Unlock guided stroke order, scoring and daily streaks. Start free →
Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 革 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | revolution / leather |
| Readings | かく, かわ |
| Grade | Grade 6 (Hardest) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 革命 (revolution) |
How to read 革
革 is read kaku (かく) or kawa (かわ) depending on the word.
Words with 革
- 革命
Learn 革 in real sentences — free
Read stories and news built from only the kanji you already know. KanjiSchool’s path covers all 2,136 Jōyō kanji — 1,018 ready to learn now.
Start free — no credit card →
Kanji read the same way as 革
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:
Read this character in a real sentence
Updated: 2026-08-28