# 化 — transform; change

化 means “transform; change”. It is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 4 strokes. On'yomi: カ (ka), ケ (ke). Kun'yomi: ば(ける) (bakeru). You'll see it in words such as 化ける (bakeru, “to take the form of; to assume the shape of”).

- Meaning: transform; change
- On'yomi: カ (ka), ケ (ke)
- Kun'yomi: ば(ける) (bakeru)
- Strokes: 4
- Level: JLPT N3 · set Change & making 1

## How to remember 化

A person (亻) turning into someone sitting (匕): transformed.

Parts: 亻 person · 匕 sitting person; spoon

## Words with 化

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 化ける | ばける (bakeru) | to take the form of; to assume the shape of |
| 化す | かす (kasu) | to change; to turn |

## Don't confuse it with

[花](https://moji.ninja/n5-kanji/flower/)

## More in the “Change & making 1” set

[化](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/transform/) · [成](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/become/) · [設](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/set-up/) · [改](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/reform/) · [変](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/strange/) · [直](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/fix/)

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