佳 means “fine, beautiful, excellent”

か · ka

Also: good, pleasing

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 8 strokes

The story

A person (亻) holding a jade tablet (圭, two 土 stacked): fine and good. In Japanese contests 佳作 is an honorable mention, a fine piece that just missed the prize, and a story that 佳境に入る has reached its best part.

Used in 佳作 (kasaku, honorable mention/fine work), 佳境 (kakyou, climax/best part), and 佳人 (kajin, beautiful woman)

More from Grace & Beauty

• 麗 beautiful
• 粋 chic
• 醜 ugly
• 艶 luster
• 貌 appearance
• 態 attitude
• 姿 figure
• 華 splendor
• 妙 exquisite
• 柄 pattern
• 趣 taste
• 雅 elegance

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

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