Readings: セキ (Onyomi), むかし (Kunyomi)
Meaning: old times, past
The character 昔 (mù) originally depicted a flood of water passing under the sun (日). This imagery conveys the idea of a long time passing, representing “olden times” or “the past.”
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The stroke order for 昔 begins with the top horizontal line, followed by the two vertical strokes in the middle, then the rectangular part of the sun (日) with its enclosing stroke and inner horizontal line, and finally the bottom horizontal line.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 日 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 8 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | 2 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- セキ (Seki)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- むかし (Mukashi)
Common Words Using 昔
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 昔日 | せきじつ | old days, former times |
| 往昔 | おうせき | former days, past |
| 今昔 | こんじゃく | past and present, then and now |
| 遠昔 | えんせき | distant past (less common) |
| 宿昔 | しゅくせき | a long time ago (literary) |
| 在昔 | ざいせき | in the past (literary) |
| 隔昔 | かくせき | separated by time, long time ago (literary) |
| 疇昔 | ちゅうせき | former days (literary, ancient) |
| 永昔 | えいせき | distant past (literary) |
| 古昔 | こせき | ancient times (rare) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 昔 | むかし | olden times, long ago |
| 昔々 | むかしむかし | once upon a time |
| 昔話 | むかしばなし | old tale, folklore |
| 昔ながら | むかしながら | as in the old days, traditional |
| 昔風 | むかしふう | old-fashioned style |
| 大昔 | おおむかし | ancient times, distant past |
| 昔懐かしい | むかしなつかしい | nostalgic for the old days |
| 昔の人 | むかしのひと | people of the past |
| 昔のこと | むかしのこと | things of the past |
| 昔の夢 | むかしのゆめ | old dream, dream of the past |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 昔、日本に住んでいました。
Kana: むかし、にほんにすんでいました。
Romaji: Mukashi, Nihon ni sunde imashita.
English: I used to live in Japan a long time ago.
Japanese: 昔々、ある所におじいさんとおばあさんがいました。
Kana: むかしむかし、あるところにおじいさんとおばあさんがいました。
Romaji: Mukashi mukashi, aru tokoro ni ojiisan to obaasan ga imashita.
English: Once upon a time, there was an old man and an old woman in a certain place.
Japanese: これは昔の日本の家です。
Kana: これはむかしのにほんのいえです。
Romaji: Kore wa mukashi no Nihon no ie desu.
English: This is an old Japanese house.
Japanese: 昔の友達に偶然会った。
Kana: むかしのともだちにぐうぜんあった。
Romaji: Mukashi no tomodachi ni gūzen atta.
English: I accidentally met an old friend.
Japanese: 子供の頃の昔話が好きです。
Kana: こどものころのむかしばなしがすきです。
Romaji: Kodomo no koro no mukashibanashi ga suki desu.
English: I like old tales from when I was a child.
Japanese: このお菓子は昔ながらの味がする。
Kana: このおかしはむかしながらのあじがする。
Romaji: Kono okashi wa mukashi nagara no aji ga suru.
English: This candy has a traditional taste, as in the old days.
Japanese: 彼は昔から優しい人だ。
Kana: かれはむかしからやさしいひとだ。
Romaji: Kare wa mukashi kara yasashii hito da.
English: He has been a kind person from long ago.
Japanese: 大昔の恐竜について学ぶ。
Kana: おおむかしのきょうりゅうについてまなぶ。
Romaji: Ōmukashi no kyōryū ni tsuite manabu.
English: Learn about ancient dinosaurs.
Japanese: 今昔の感にふける。
Kana: こんじゃくのかんにふける。
Romaji: Konjaku no kan ni fukeru.
English: To be immersed in the feeling of past and present.
Japanese: 昔はここが海でした。
Kana: むかしはここがうみでした。
Romaji: Mukashi wa koko ga umi desita.
English: This place used to be the sea in the past.
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