# 担 — bear; take charge

担 means “bear; take charge”. It is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 8 strokes. On'yomi: タン (tan). Kun'yomi: かつ(ぐ) (katsugu), にな(う) (ninau). You'll see it in words such as 担ぐ (katsugu, “to shoulder; to carry on one's shoulder”).

- Meaning: bear; take charge
- On'yomi: タン (tan)
- Kun'yomi: かつ(ぐ) (katsugu), にな(う) (ninau)
- Strokes: 8
- Level: JLPT N3 · set Hands at work 2

## How to remember 担

A hand (扌) at daybreak (旦), already taking up the load.

Sounds like 旦: both read タン.

Parts: 扌 hand · 旦 daybreak

## Words with 担

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 担ぐ | かつぐ (katsugu) | to shoulder; to carry on one's shoulder |
| 担う | になう (ninau) | to carry on one's shoulder; to shoulder |

## Don't confuse it with

[旦](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/daybreak/) · [措](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/set-aside/) · [指](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/finger/) · [宣](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/proclaim/)

## More in the “Hands at work 2” set

[供](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/offer/) · [付](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/attach/) · [配](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/distribute/) · [張](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/stretch/) · [担](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/bear/) · [突](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/thrust/) · [拾](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/pick-up/)

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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/n3-kanji/bear/. Last updated 2026-11-01.