才 means “talent, genius, years old”

さい · sai

Also: cubic shaku

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

サイ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 2 · 3 strokes

The story

Three strokes, like a seedling just breaking through the soil: picture a gift that is there before you grow. 天才 is a genius, 才能 is talent, and on toy boxes 才 stands in for the harder 歳: "3才以上", ages three and up.

Used in 天才 (tensai, genius) and 才能 (sainou, talent)

More from Thinking & Knowing

• 実 reality
• 解 solve
• 信 trust
• 確 certain
• 能 ability
• 疑 doubt
• 術 technique
• 想 idea
• 念 thought
• 察 observe
• 識 know
• 覚 remember

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

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