# 絶 — sever; absolute

絶 means “sever; absolute”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 12 strokes. On'yomi: ゼツ (zetsu). Kun'yomi: た(える) (taeru). You'll see it in words such as 絶つ (tatsu, “to sever; to cut off”).

- Meaning: sever; absolute
- On'yomi: ゼツ (zetsu)
- Kun'yomi: た(える) (taeru)
- Strokes: 12
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Qualities 2

## How to remember 絶

Parts: 糸 thread · 色 colour

## Words with 絶

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 絶つ | たつ (tatsu) | to sever; to cut off |
| 絶えず | たえず (taezu) | constantly; always |
| 絶える | たえる (taeru) | to die out; to peter out |

## Don't confuse it with

[紙](https://moji.ninja/n4-kanji/paper/) · [終](https://moji.ninja/n4-kanji/end/) · [細](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/thin/) · [純](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/genuine/)

## More in the “Qualities 2” set

[圧](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/pressure/) · [固](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/solid/) · [精](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/refined/) · [普](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/universal/) · [豊](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/abundant/) · [静](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/quiet/) · [善](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/virtuous/) · [絶](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/sever/)

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