# 促 — urge; stimulate

促 means “urge; stimulate”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 9 strokes. On'yomi: ソク (soku). Kun'yomi: うなが(す) (unagasu). You'll see it in words such as 促す (unagasu, “to urge; to encourage”).

- Meaning: urge; stimulate
- On'yomi: ソク (soku)
- Kun'yomi: うなが(す) (unagasu)
- Strokes: 9
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Doing & acting 2

## How to remember 促

Sounds like 足: both read ソク.

Parts: 亻 person · 足 foot

## Words with 促

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 促す | うながす (unagasu) | to urge; to encourage |

## Don't confuse it with

[足](https://moji.ninja/n5-kanji/foot/) · [捉](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/get-hold-of/) · [距](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/distance/)

## More in the “Doing & acting 2” set

[促](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/urge/) · [控](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/hold-back/) · [隠](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/hide/) · [索](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/look-up/) · [励](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/encourage/) · [耐](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/endure/) · [克](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/overcome/) · [遂](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/carry-through/) · [奨](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/urge-on/)

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