What Does 私 Mean in Japanese? 私 means I, me, or private. The reading わたし is one of the most common first-person pronouns, while the on’yomi シ appears in compounds such as 私立 and 私物. Reading On’yomi: シ (shi) Kun’yomi: わたし (watashi), わたくし (watakushi) Basic Information Kanji 私 Meaning I, private Stroke Count 7 JLPT … Read more
What Does 都 Mean in Japanese? 都 refers to a capital, metropolis, or major urban center. It appears in words such as 都市, 都会, and 首都. Be careful with 都合, where the kanji is part of a word meaning circumstances or convenience. Reading On’yomi: ト (to), ツ (tsu) Kun’yomi: みやこ (miyako) Basic Information Kanji 都 … Read more
What Does 市 Mean in Japanese? 市 usually means city in compounds such as 市民 and 市役所. The reading いち also appears in 市場, meaning a market. This kanji is useful for addresses, local government, and everyday city life. Reading On’yomi: シ (shi) Kun’yomi: いち (ichi) Basic Information Kanji 市 Meaning city, market Stroke Count … Read more
What Does 国 Mean in Japanese? 国 means country or nation. It appears in everyday words about one’s home country, foreign countries, domestic matters, and international relations. The kun’yomi くに is common when the kanji stands alone. Reading On’yomi: コク (koku) Kun’yomi: くに (kuni) Basic Information Kanji 国 Meaning country, nation Stroke Count 8 JLPT … Read more
What Does 北 Mean in Japanese? 北 means north. You will find it on maps, station signs, weather reports, and regional names such as 東北. Learning 北 with 東, 西, and 南 completes the four basic direction kanji. Reading On’yomi: ホク (hoku) Kun’yomi: きた (kita) Basic Information Kanji 北 Meaning north Stroke Count 5 JLPT … Read more
What Does 南 Mean in Japanese? 南 means south. It is common in directions, station exits, regional names, and words such as 南部 and 南米. Study it with 東, 西, and 北 so the four cardinal directions form one connected set. Reading On’yomi: ナン (nan), ナ (na) Kun’yomi: みなみ (minami) Basic Information Kanji 南 Meaning … Read more
What Does 西 Mean in Japanese? 西 means west, the direction where the sun sets. It appears on station signs, maps, and words for western regions or Western culture. Learning 西 with 東, 南, and 北 makes direction words easier to compare. Reading On’yomi: セイ (sei), サイ (sai) Kun’yomi: にし (nishi) Basic Information Kanji 西 … Read more
What Does 東 Mean in Japanese? 東 means east, the direction associated with sunrise. You will see it on station signs, maps, addresses, and in regional names. Learn it together with 西, 南, and 北 to build a complete set of direction vocabulary. Reading On’yomi: トウ (tou) Kun’yomi: ひがし (higashi) Basic Information Kanji 東 Meaning … Read more
What does 雪 mean in Japanese? 雪 means snow, the winter partner of 雨 (rain) under the same weather radical. Its kun’yomi ゆき (yuki) is the everyday word (雪が降る = it snows), while the on’yomi セツ appears in compounds like 新雪 (しんせつ, fresh snow) and 積雪 (せきせつ, accumulated snow). Reading On’yomi: セツ (setsu) Kun’yomi: ゆき … Read more
What does 晴 mean in Japanese? 晴 means clear, sunny weather, the opposite of a rainy or cloudy sky. Its kun’yomi は-れる (hareru) is the verb ‘to clear up’ and は-れ (hare) the noun ‘fine weather’; the on’yomi セイ appears in 晴天 (せいてん, clear sky) and 快晴 (かいせい, perfectly clear). Reading On’yomi: セイ (sei) Kun’yomi: … Read more