恩 means “kindness, debt of gratitude”

おん · on

Also: grace, goodness, favor

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

オン

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 10 strokes

The story

A heart (心) under 因, the cause of something: remembering who caused your good fortune. 恩 is a kindness you owe: an 恩人 is someone who changed your life, and 恩返し, paying it back, is the heart of the folk tale 鶴の恩返し.

Used in 恩返し (ongaeshi, repaying a kindness), 恩人 (onjin, benefactor), and 恩恵 (onkei, benefit/blessing)

More from Help & Protect

• 扶 support
• 保 keep
• 援 help
• 護 protect
• 衛 guard
• 救 save
• 養 nourish
• 祉 welfare
• 擁 embrace

Learn 恩 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.