Kanji
兼
N1
10 strokes
Grade 8
freq #1164
concurrently, and, beforehand, in advance
On'yomi (音読み)
ケン
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
か.ねる、 -か.ねる
On'yomi compounds (音読み)
兼
けん
and (concurrently; e.g. chauffeur and secretary); in addition to
兼務
けんむ
serving concurrently as; concurrently holding the position of
兼任
けんにん
serving concurrently as; holding the additional post of
兼業
けんぎょう
pursuing as a side business; doing in addition to one's main work
兼用
けんよう
multi-use; combined use
兼業農家
けんぎょうのうか
part-time farmer
兼営
けんえい
operating or carrying on simultaneously
兼職
けんしょく
holding another position; serving concurrently as
Kun'yomi words (訓読み)
兼ねる
かねる
to be unable to; to find difficult (unpleasant, awkward, painful) to do
兼ね合い
かねあい
equilibrium; good balance
兼ね備える
かねそなえる
to have both; to possess both
気兼ね
きがね
constraint; reserve
Example sentences
彼（かれ）は小説家（しょうせつか）兼（けん）画家（がか）である。
He is a novelist and artist.
農民（のうみん）はどちらの候補者（こうほしゃ）を支持（しじ）するかについて、いまだ決（き）めかねています。
Farmers are still sitting on the fence over which candidate to back.
大男（おおおとこ）総身（そうみ）に知恵（ちえ）が回（まわ）りかね。
With a big man it's hard for the blood to get up to the brain.
その本（ほん）を書（か）いた人（ひと）は、機知（きち）とユーモアを兼ね備（かねそな）えた人（ひと）だね。
The person who wrote that book is possessed of both humour and wit, isn't he?