音 — “sound” in Japanese

Grade 1おん, おと, ね

Radical ⾳ · radical 180 The building block this kanji is filed under

“sound” in Japanese is 音, read on, oto, ne (おん, おと, ね). It is a Grade 1 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 1 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 音楽 (music).

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What does 音 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	音
Meaning	sound
Readings	おん, おと, ね
Grade	Grade 1 (Easiest)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	音楽 (music)

How to read 音

音 is read on (おん) or oto (おと) or ne (ね) depending on the word.

Words with 音

音楽おんがく
音色ねいろ
足音
波音
低音
騒音

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Kanji read the same way as 音

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

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Updated: 2026-08-28