勝 means “win, victory”

かつ · katsu

Also: prevail, excel

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

かつ, まさる, すぐれる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ショウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 12 strokes

The story

Strength (力) gathered at the base: picture a sumo wrestler driving his opponent out of the ring. 勝つ is to win, 優勝 is the championship, and before exams students eat katsudon, because カツ sounds like 勝つ.

Used in 勝つ (katsu, to win), 優勝 (yuushou, championship victory), and 勝手 (katte, as one pleases)

More from Victory & Defeat

• 打 hit
• 争 compete
• 位 rank
• 格 status
• 球 ball
• 負 lose
• 失 lose
• 段 step
• 敗 defeat
• 突 thrust
• 破 tear
• 抜 pull out

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

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