What does 五 mean in Japanese?
五 means “five” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 五 (five), 五つ (five things), and 五月 (May).
For learners, the key is to study 五 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: ゴ (go)
Kun’yomi: いつ-つ (itsu-tsu)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 五 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | five |
| Stroke Count | 4 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
How to Understand This Kanji
五 is not limited to one English translation. In 五 (ご), it means five; in 五つ (いつつ), it points to five things; and in 五月 (ごがつ), it is used for May. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 五（ご / go） — five
- 五つ（いつつ / itsutsu） — five things
- 五月（ごがつ / gogatsu） — May
- 五日（いつか / itsuka） — the fifth day; five days
- 五十（ごじゅう / gojū） — fifty
- 五百（ごひゃく / gohyaku） — five hundred
Example Sentences
-
五人で公園に行きました。
ごにんでこうえんにいきました。 / Gonin de kōen ni ikimashita.
Five people went to the park together.
-
五月は暖かい日が多いです。
ごがつはあたたかいひがおおいです。 / Gogatsu wa atatakai hi ga ōi desu.
There are many warm days in May.
-
五つのりんごを買いました。
いつつのりんごをかいました。 / Itsutsu no ringo o kaimashita.
I bought five apples.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 五 (ご / go) because it keeps the core meaning of 五 clear. Then add 五つ and 五月 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 五 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
五 means “five” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 五, 五つ, and 五月.