Word Meaning

ぜん zen

善 is read as ぜん (zen) and means good.

Meaning

English

  1. good
  2. goodness
  3. right
  4. virtue

Reading

Kana

ぜん

Romaji

zen

Stroke Sequence

1 Characters • 12 Total Strokes

Study Signals and Categories

JLPT N1 Jōyō Grade 6 Kanken 5級 Antonyms Rank 3463 Priority A

Related Vocabulary

Max. 12

善し悪し

よしあし

having both merits and demerits

善意

ぜんい

positive mindset

善悪

ぜんあく

right and wrong

善良

ぜんりょう

good (person, nature, etc.)

善戦

ぜんせん

fighting a good fight

善隣

ぜんりん

good neighbour

善後策

ぜんごさく

remedial measure

善人

ぜんにん

good person

善処

ぜんしょ

dealing appropriately (with a situation)

善玉

ぜんだま

character with a round white head on which the character "good" is written (common in Edo-period prints)

善行

ぜんこう

good deed

善女人

ぜんにょにん

pious woman

Example Sentences

9

ぜんはいそげ

strike while the iron is hot

かれはさいぜんをつくした

he did his best

ぜんあくをはんだんするのはむずかしい

it is difficult to judge good and evil

ぎぜんしゃはきらわれる

hypocrites are disliked

かれはいちにちいちぜんをこころがけている

he makes an effort to do one good deed every day

せいかつしゅうかんをかいぜんする

improve one's lifestyle habits

にこくかんのしんぜんをふかめる

deepen the goodwill between the two countries

どくぜんてきなたいどはあらためるべきだ

you should change your self-righteous attitude

もんだいのかいけつにむけてぜんしょします

we will deal with the matter appropriately