手 – Kanji Meaning, Reading, and Common Words

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手

手 means “hand” in Japanese. It represents the human hand and is used both literally and metaphorically.

Reading

On’yomi: シュ (shu)

Kun’yomi: て (te), た- (ta-)

Basic Information

Kanji 手
Meaning hand
Stroke Count 4
JLPT Level N5

How to Understand This Kanji

手 can mean the physical hand, a method, a skill, or a person who performs an action. It appears in important words such as 上手, 下手, 手紙, and 手伝う.

Common Words

  • 手（て / te） — hand
  • 上手（じょうず / jōzu） — skilled, good at
  • 下手（へた / heta） — unskilled, bad at
  • 手紙（てがみ / tegami） — letter
  • 手伝う（てつだう / tetsudau） — to help, to assist
  • 握手（あくしゅ / akushu） — handshake

Example Sentences

  • 日本語が上手ですね。

    にほんごがじょうずですね。 / Nihongo ga jōzu desu ne.

    Your Japanese is very good.

  • 母に手紙を書きました。

    ははにてがみをかきました。 / Haha ni tegami o kakimashita.

    I wrote a letter to my mother.

  • 荷物を運ぶのを手伝いました。

    にもつをはこぶのをてつだいました。 / Nimotsu o hakobu no o tetsudaimashita.

    I helped carry the luggage.

Related Kanji

  • 目

    — Hands and eyes are basic body-part kanji often learned together.

  • 口

    — Hand, eye, and mouth form a useful beginner body-part set.

  • 右

    — 右手 combines 右 and 手 to mean right hand.

When Learners Usually See This Kanji

The standalone reading is て. The reading しゅ appears in compounds such as 拍手 and 握手. Be especially careful with 上手 and 下手: their readings are じょうず and へた, not simple combinations of 上, 下, and 手.

Summary

手 means hand and is central to vocabulary about skill, help, letters, and physical action.