Every society is built on roles: commoners, rulers, warriors, officials. Japanese kanji preserves a complete map of this social hierarchy. Many of these characters look familiar if you know Chinese — but the Japanese readings and usages often hold surprises.
This article teaches you 20 kanji for social roles and status.
Core Kanji Table
Everyday People
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 人 | ジン (jin)・ニン (nin) | ひと (hito) | person | 人間 (にんげん, human), 日本人 (にほんじん, Japanese person) | One of the most fundamental kanji |
| 民 | ミン (min) | たみ (tami) | people / citizen | 国民 (こくみん, citizen), 市民 (しみん, citizen) | 市民 = citizen |
| 男 | ダン (dan)・ナン (nan) | おとこ (otoko) | man / male | 男性 (だんせい, male), 男子 (だんし, boy/man) | 田 (field) + 力 (strength) = one who works the field |
| 女 | ジョ (jo) | おんな (onna) | woman / female | 女性 (じょせい, female), 女子 (じょし, girl/woman) | Pictograph: a kneeling figure |
| 友 | ユウ (yū) | とも (tomo) | friend | 友達 (ともだち, friend), 友人 (ゆうじん, friend) | 友達 = friend (casual), 友人 = friend (formal) |
| 客 | キャク (kyaku)・カク (kaku) | — | guest / customer | お客さん (おきゃくさん, customer), 乗客 (じょうきゃく, passenger) | 乗客 = passenger |
Teachers & Priests
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 師 | シ (shi) | — | master / teacher | 教師 (きょうし, teacher), 医師 (いし, doctor) | 医師 = physician (formal) |
| 僧 | ソウ (sō) | — | monk | 僧侶 (そうりょ, monk), 僧 (そう, monk) | 小僧 (こぞう) = youngster / little monk |
Rulers & Warriors
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 王 | オウ (ō) | — | king | 王様 (おうさま, king), 王子 (おうじ, prince) | 王様 = king (respectful) |
| 皇 | コウ (kō)・オウ (ō) | — | emperor | 天皇 (てんのう, emperor of Japan), 皇后 (こうごう, empress) | 天皇 = unique to Japan |
| 臣 | シン (shin) | — | retainer / minister | 大臣 (だいじん, minister), 臣下 (しんか, subject) | 大臣 = government minister |
| 将 | ショウ (shō) | — | general / leader | 将軍 (しょうぐん, shogun), 将来 (しょうらい, future) | Watch out: 将来 = future, not a military term! |
| 兵 | ヘイ (hei)・ヒョウ (hyō) | — | soldier | 兵士 (へいし, soldier), 兵器 (へいき, weapon) | 兵器 = weapon |
| 侍 | ジ (ji) | さむらい (samurai) | samurai / attendant | 侍 (さむらい, samurai), 侍従 (じじゅう, chamberlain) | The word "samurai" in English comes from this kanji |
Officials & Others
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 官 | カン (kan) | — | official | 官僚 (かんりょう, bureaucrat), 警官 (けいかん, police officer) | 警官 = police officer |
| 僚 | リョウ (ryō) | — | colleague | 同僚 (どうりょう, colleague), 官僚 (かんりょう, bureaucrat) | 同僚 = colleague/coworker |
| 奴 | ド (do) | やつ (yatsu) | slave / fellow | 奴隷 (どれい, slave), あいつ (that guy) | やつ = "that guy" (casual, slightly rough) |
| 賊 | ゾク (zoku) | — | thief / pirate | 海賊 (かいぞく, pirate), 盗賊 (とうぞく, bandit) | 海賊 = pirate (as in One Piece!) |
| 聖 | セイ (sei)・ショウ (shō) | ひじり (hijiri) | holy / saint | 聖人 (せいじん, saint), 神聖 (しんせい, sacred) | 聖地 = holy land |
| 賢 | ケン (ken) | かしこい (kashikoi) | wise / sage | 賢者 (けんじゃ, sage), 賢い (かしこい, wise/clever) | 賢者 = wise person / sage |
侍 — Samurai Culture in a Single Kanji
The kanji 侍 (さむらい) combines the "person" radical (亻) with 寺 (temple), and originally meant "one who serves by your side."
So what's the difference between 侍 and 武士 (ぶし)?
| 侍 (さむらい) | 武士 (ぶし) | |
|---|---|---|
| Nuance | Romantic, evocative | Formal, academic |
| Usage | Movies, anime, casual speech | History books, formal writing |
| English loanword | "samurai" (borrowed into English) | — |
| Literal meaning | "One who serves" | "Martial person" |
武士道 (ぶしどう, "the way of the warrior") uses 武士, not 侍 — because bushido is a formal ethical code. But when talking about "the last samurai," Japanese uses 最後の侍, not 最後の武士.
Fun fact: 侍 is still alive in modern Japanese sports culture — Japan's national football team is nicknamed サムライブルー (Samurai Blue).
先生 — Not Just "Teacher"
In Chinese, 先生 is a polite form of "Mr." In Japanese, 先生 (せんせい) has a much broader meaning:
| Profession | Can be called 先生? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher | Of course | 田中先生 (Teacher Tanaka) |
| Doctor | Yes | 山田先生 (Dr. Yamada) |
| Lawyer | Yes | 佐藤先生 (Attorney Sato) |
| Politician | Yes | 議員先生 (Senator) |
| Manga artist / Author | Yes | 尾田先生 (Oda-sensei, author of One Piece) |
| Regular office worker | No | Just use さん |
The rule is simple: anyone with specialized expertise whom others look up to can be called 先生. It comes from 先に生まれた人 ("one born before you") = someone with more experience than you.
Caution: calling someone 先生 when it's not warranted (like a coworker) can come across as sarcastic.
Practice
Q1. What does 将来 mean? Is it related to 将軍?
Show answer
将来 (しょうらい) = future. Although it shares the kanji 将 with 将軍 (shogun/general), 将来 has nothing to do with the military. 将 also means "about to / to lead," so 将来 = "what's about to come" = future.
Q2. What does 海賊 mean? Can you think of a famous anime?
Show answer
海賊 (かいぞく) = pirate. The most famous reference is ONE PIECE (ワンピース), whose hero declares: 「海賊王におれはなる！」("I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!").
Q3. What's the difference between 天皇 and 王?
Show answer
天皇 (てんのう) is a title unique to Japan, referring to the Emperor of Japan. 王 (おう) is the generic word for "king." Japan's head of state is called 天皇, not 王 — literally "heavenly emperor," a rank above a mere king.
Q4. When can you call someone 先生?
Show answer
Teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, authors, and other professionals with specialized expertise can be addressed as 先生. Regular coworkers and friends should be called さん. Using 先生 inappropriately can sound sarcastic.
Q5. What's the difference between 侍 and 武士?
Show answer
They differ in nuance. 侍 (さむらい) is more romantic and casual, commonly used in movies and anime. 武士 (ぶし) is more formal and academic, used in history books. 武士道 uses 武士, but "the last samurai" uses 侍.
Summary
- Social role kanji range from 人 and 民 (common people) to 王 and 皇 (rulers), forming a complete hierarchy
- 将 isn't just "general" — 将来 means "future"
- 侍 is romantic and casual; 武士 is formal and academic
- 先生 isn't just "teacher" — doctors, lawyers, and authors are all called 先生
- 海賊 = pirate, 聖人 = saint, 賢者 = sage
- Next up: Stages of Life — learn kanji like 生, 老, 死 for life's journey