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明 means 'bright'

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Strokes : 8    Frequency: 74   JLPT: N4    Usefulness: 2    Study set: 2-3    Grade: 2   Intermediate lesson: 7    Beginner lesson: -   Begins 185 words   Used in 606 words   Used in 3754 names   Component in 6 kanji (1 Jōyō)
Jōyō (常用)
Common readings
On
   メイ   ミョウ
Kun
   あかり light   あかるい bright   あかるむ to brighten   あからむ to become luminous (at dawn)   あきらか obvious   あかす to lay bare   あく to open   あける to empty
Name
   あき
Additional readings
On    ミン
Kun    -あけ   あくる
Name    あきら   あけ   あす   きら   け   さや   さやか   とし   はる   み   め
Components
⿰  日 sun; day  月 month; moon  
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Most useful words by reading
In the most useful 10,000 words in Japanese, 明 is used 47 times, read 5 ways.
Across all words in Japanese, 明 is used 572 times, read 7 ways (with 1 variation).
Showing:
メイ : 364 words FIND ALL
せ つ め い 0
explanation; exposition
(click the word for examples and links)
ミョウ : 48 words FIND ALL
み ょ う じ ょ う 0
noun
1. morning star; Venus  (see also: 金星)
2. preeminent person (within their own field); star (of the stage, silver screen, etc.)
(click the word for examples and links)
ミン : 6 words FIND ALL
み ん 1
noun
Ming (dynasty of China, 1368-1644)
(click the word for examples and links)
あかり : 110 words FIND ALL
あ し た 3
noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi)
1. tomorrow
2. near future  (this meaning is restricted to reading あす)
(click the word to view an additional 2 readings and 3 forms, examples and links)
あかるい : 29 words FIND ALL
あ か る い 0 あ か る い 3
1. bright; colourful
2. cheerful
(click the word to view an additional 2 meanings and 2 forms, examples and links)
あきらか : 9 words FIND ALL
あ き ら か 2
obvious; evident; clear; plain
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
あける (read as あけ) : 4 words FIND ALL
あ り あ け 0
noun
dawn (sometimes esp. in ref. to the 16th day of the lunar month onward)  (see also: 夜明け)
(click the word to view an additional 1 form, examples and links)
さや: 2 words. FIND ALL
clear; fresh; bright  (often written with kana only)
(click the word to view an additional 1 form, examples and links)
An additional one less common word includes 明 but the reading has not yet been categorized.
Quick links
QUICK SEARCH WORD SEARCH KANJI SEARCH COMPONENT SEARCH Find kanji that refer to 明
More information
Wiktionary ⇗ | Unicode.org ⇗ | Google Japan ⇗ | Hanziyuan etymology ⇗
Additional data
Henshall: 228 (originally: 208)  Joy o' Kanji : 208  Key to Kanji: 1001 

Cascading kanji view

明
メイ   ミョウ   あかり light   あかるい bright   あかるむ to brighten   あからむ to become luminous (at dawn)   あきらか obvious   あかす to lay bare   あく to open   あける to empty   
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日
ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
月
ガツ   ゲツ   つき month; moon   
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