忙 – JLPT N3 Kanji, Kanji for busy, occupied, restless

忙

Strokes: 6

Meanings: busy, occupied, restless
Onyomi: ボウ
Kunyomi: いそが.しい, せわ.しい
Name Readings
JLPT: N3
Grade: 8
Frequency: -
Kanji Writing Practice: Practice

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Stroke Order

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Story

The kanji 忙 combines the heart radical 忄 (feelings, emotions) with the character 亡 (to lose or be gone). In ancient script, this pairing symbolized a heart that feels lost or scattered — a person whose emotions are pulled in too many directions. Over time, it came to express the state of being so occupied that one’s heart “isn’t present.” Thus, 忙 represents being busy, restless, or preoccupied — when the heart has no calm because it’s lost in too much to do.

Short Story

Formed from 忄(heart) and 亡(lost), 忙 shows a heart that has lost its stillness — representing busyness, hurry, or mental distraction.

Mnemonic

This kanji declares: when the heart (忄) is lost (亡), you are busy — your thoughts scattered, your feelings unfocused. Picture your heart running in many directions, chasing tasks with no rest. That’s 忙 — the state of a heart too lost in motion to be still.

Vocabulary Examples

Word	Reading	Meaning	Meta
忙しい	いそがしい	busy, occupied, hectic	common JLPT-N5 I-adjective (keiyoushi)
忙殺	ぼうさつ	being extremely busy, being swamped with work	Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb
忙しない	せわしない	restless, fidgety, in a hurry	I-adjective (keiyoushi)
忙中閑あり	ぼうちゅうかんあり	there are brief moments of leisure even when at one's busiest	Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.)
忙殺される	ぼうさつされる	to be very busily occupied, to be swamped with work	Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Ichidan verb
忙中	ぼうちゅう	in the midst of busyness	Noun
忙しげ	せわしげ	looking busy, appearing busy, looking restless	Na-adjective (keiyodoshi)
忙中有閑	ぼうちゅうゆうかん	having free time to spare in the midst of busyness, leisure in the intervals of one's work	Noun
忙しい	せわしい	busy, hectic, frantic	I-adjective (keiyoushi)
忙を厭わず	ぼうをいとわず	despite one's busyness	Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.)
忙牙長		Mangyachang	Wikipedia definition

Showing up to 15 entries including the Kanji.

Example Sentences

Example #1

最近仕事が忙しくて全然休めません。

さいきんしごとがいそがしくてぜんぜんやすめません

saikin shigoto ga isogashikute zenzen yasumemasen

I’ve been so busy with work lately that I can’t rest at all.

Example #2

明日は忙しいから、今日中に終わらせよう。

あしたはいそがしいから、きょうじゅうにおわらせよう

ashita wa isogashii kara, kyoujuu ni owaraseyou

I’ll finish it today because I’ll be busy tomorrow.

Example #3

母はいつも忙しそうにしています。

はははいつもいそがしそうにしています

haha wa itsumo isogashisou ni shiteimasu

My mother always looks busy.

Example #4

忙しくても、ちゃんとご飯を食べてくださいね。

いそがしくても、ちゃんとごはんをたべてくださいね

isogashikutemo, chanto gohan o tabete kudasai ne

Even if you’re busy, please make sure to eat properly.

Example #5

今日は忙しすぎてランチを食べる時間がなかった。

きょうはいそがしすぎてランチをたべるじかんがなかった

kyou wa isogashisugite ranchi o taberu jikan ga nakatta

I was so busy today that I didn’t have time to eat lunch.

Example #6

忙しいときほどミスをしやすいです。

いそがしいときほどミスをしやすいです

isogashii toki hodo misu o shiyasui desu

The busier you are, the easier it is to make mistakes.

Example #7

週末は忙しいので、平日に会いましょう。

しゅうまつはいそがしいので、へいじつにあいましょう

shuumatsu wa isogashii node, heijitsu ni aimashou

I’m busy on weekends, so let’s meet on a weekday.

Example #8

学生のときは毎日忙しかったです。

がくせいのときはまいにちいそがしかったです

gakusei no toki wa mainichi isogashikatta desu

When I was a student, I was busy every day.

Example #9

忙しくなる前に旅行へ行きたいです。

いそがしくなるまえにりょこうへいきたいです

isogashiku naru mae ni ryokou e ikitai desu

I want to go on a trip before things get busy.

Example #10

彼は忙しい中でも家族の時間を大切にしています。

かれはいそがしいなかでもかぞくのじかんをたいせつにしています

kare wa isogashii naka demo kazoku no jikan o taisetsu ni shiteimasu

Even though he’s busy, he values time with his family.

Example #11

忙しくて友だちと会う時間がありません。

いそがしくてともだちとあうじかんがありません

isogashikute tomodachi to au jikan ga arimasen

I’m so busy that I don’t have time to meet friends.

Example #12

母が忙しいから、今日は私が夕飯を作ります。

ははがいそがしいから、きょうはわたしがゆうはんをつくります

haha ga isogashii kara, kyou wa watashi ga yuuhan o tsukurimasu

Since my mom is busy, I’ll make dinner today.

Example #13

忙しくても、少しは休んだほうがいいですよ。

いそがしくても、すこしはやすんだほうがいいですよ

isogashikutemo, sukoshi wa yasunda hou ga ii desu yo

Even if you’re busy, you should rest a little.

Example #14

最近父がとても忙しくて、家にいないことが多いです。

さいきんちちがとてもいそがしくて、いえにいないことがおおいです

saikin chichi ga totemo isogashikute, ie ni inai koto ga ooi desu

My father has been really busy lately and is often not home.

Example #15

忙しいけど、この仕事が好きです。

いそがしいけど、このしごとがすきです

isogashii kedo, kono shigoto ga suki desu

It’s busy, but I like this job.

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Kanji Info

Kanji: 忙

JLPT: n3

Strokes: 6

Grade: 8

Unicode: 5FD9

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