# 鍛 — forge; temper

鍛 means “forge; temper”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 17 strokes. On'yomi: タン (tan). Kun'yomi: きた(える) (kitaeru). You'll see it in words such as 鍛える (kitaeru, “to forge; to temper”).

- Meaning: forge; temper
- On'yomi: タン (tan)
- Kun'yomi: きた(える) (kitaeru)
- Strokes: 17
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Metal, stone & materials 2

## How to remember 鍛

Sounds like 段: both read タン.

Parts: 金 metal; gold · 段 step

## Words with 鍛

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 鍛える | きたえる (kitaeru) | to forge; to temper |

## Don't confuse it with

[撃](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/strike-down/) · [盤](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/game-board/)

## More in the “Metal, stone & materials 2” set

[珠](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/pearl/) · [窒](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/nitrogen/) · [鍛](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/forge/) · [硫](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/sulphur/) · [漆](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/lacquer/) · [鋳](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/cast-metal/)

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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/forge/. Last updated 2026-11-01.