# 刻 — engrave; moment

刻 means “engrave; moment”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 8 strokes. On'yomi: コク (koku). Kun'yomi: きざ(む) (kizamu). You'll see it in words such as 刻む (kizamu, “to mince; to cut fine”).

- Meaning: engrave; moment
- On'yomi: コク (koku)
- Kun'yomi: きざ(む) (kizamu)
- Strokes: 8
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Time 2

## How to remember 刻

Parts: 亥 boar sign · 刂 sword

## Words with 刻

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 刻む | きざむ (kizamu) | to mince; to cut fine |
| 刻々 | こっこく (kokkoku) | moment by moment; hour by hour |

## Don't confuse it with

[核](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/nucleus/) · [劾](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/impeach/) · [刹](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/buddhist-temple/)

## More in the “Time 2” set

[永](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/eternal/) · [更](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/renew/) · [刻](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/engrave/) · [暮](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/make-a-living/) · [翌](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/the-following-day/) · [晩](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/nightfall/)

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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/n2-kanji/engrave/. Last updated 2026-11-01.