# 呪 — curse; spell

呪 means “curse; spell”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 8 strokes. On'yomi: ジュ (ju). Kun'yomi: のろ(い) (noroi). You'll see it in words such as 呪い (noroi, “curse; spell”).

- Meaning: curse; spell
- On'yomi: ジュ (ju)
- Kun'yomi: のろ(い) (noroi)
- Strokes: 8
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Belief & custom 5

## How to remember 呪

Parts: 口 mouth; box · 兄 older brother

## Words with 呪

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 呪い | のろい (noroi) | curse; spell |
| 呪う | のろう (norou) | to curse; to put a curse on |

## Don't confuse it with

[兄](https://moji.ninja/n4-kanji/older-brother/) · [況](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/situation/) · [祝](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/celebrate/) · [克](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/overcome/)

## More in the “Belief & custom 5” set

[幽](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/secluded/) · [殉](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/die-for-a-cause/) · [呪](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/curse/) · [棺](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/coffin/) · [儒](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/confucianism/) · [冥](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/underworld/) · [刹](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/buddhist-temple/) · [詣](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/visit-a-shrine/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/curse/. Last updated 2026-11-01.