# 険 — steep; risky

険 means “steep; risky”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 11 strokes. On'yomi: ケン (ken). Kun'yomi: けわ(しい) (kewashii). You'll see it in words such as 険しい (kewashii, “precipitous; rugged”).

- Meaning: steep; risky
- On'yomi: ケン (ken)
- Kun'yomi: けわ(しい) (kewashii)
- Strokes: 11
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Qualities 1

## How to remember 険

Parts: 阝 town; hill · 人 person; roof · 一 one; floor · 口 mouth; box · 人 person; roof

## Words with 険

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 険しい | けわしい (kewashii) | precipitous; rugged |

## Don't confuse it with

[検](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/examine/) · [剣](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/sword/) · [倹](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/frugal/)

## More in the “Qualities 1” set

[単](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/simple/) · [完](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/complete/) · [危](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/dangerous/) · [異](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/different/) · [適](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/suitable/) · [清](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/pure/) · [険](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/steep/) · [均](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/level/)

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