How do you say "can" in Japanese?

缶

kan

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "can" is 缶 (kan).

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Pronunciation

缶 is written using kanji. Romanised as kan, it sounds roughly like "kah-n" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Kan is a simple, common kanji for a cylindrical container. Canned foods are widespread in Japan and use this character.

Example sentence

机の上に缶があります。

Tsukue no ue ni Kan ga arimasu.

There is a can on the desk.

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How to remember 缶

The kanji 缶 looks like a cylinder or tin can viewed from above. Canned soup, canned juice - all use this character.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more supermarket words.

Questions about 缶

How do you pronounce 缶?

缶 is romanised as kan. Say it roughly like "kah-n" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 缶 formal or casual?

缶 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 缶 written in Japanese?

缶 is written using kanji. Kan is a simple, common kanji for a cylindrical container.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Can" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

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