Readings: カ (Onyomi), くつ (Kunyomi)
Meaning: shoes, footwear
The kanji 靴 is a phono-semantic character (形声文字). It combines the radical 革 (かわ – leather), which indicates the material, and the component 化 (か – to change, transform), which serves as the phonetic component (though its original sound is カ, the kunyomi くつ is predominant). Together, they suggest “leather transformed into something for the foot.”
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 靴 (kutsu) has 13 strokes. Start by writing the left radical 革 (kawa) first, following the standard stroke order for that component (horizontal, vertical, three dots, then the enclosed box). Then, proceed to the right component 化 (ka), starting with the vertical stroke, followed by the horizontal, the left-sweeping stroke, and finally the hook.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 革 (かわ) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 13 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | S |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- カ (ka)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- くつ (kutsu)
Common Words Using 靴
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 靴 | くつ | shoes, footwear |
| 靴下 | くつした | socks |
| 長靴 | ながぐつ | boots, long boots |
| 運動靴 | うんどうぐつ | athletic shoes, sneakers |
| 革靴 | かわぐつ | leather shoes |
| 安全靴 | あんぜんぐつ | safety shoes |
| 上履き | うわばき | indoor shoes, slippers (worn in schools/houses) |
| 靴紐 | くつひも | shoelaces |
| 靴べら | くつべら | shoehorn |
| 靴屋 | くつや | shoe store, shoemaker |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 新しい靴を買いました。
Kana: あたらしいくつをかいました。
Romaji: Atarashii kutsu o kaimashita.
English: I bought new shoes.
Japanese: 毎日、この靴を履いています。
Kana: まいにち、このくつをはいています。
Romaji: Mainichi, kono kutsu o haiteimasu.
English: I wear these shoes every day.
Japanese: 玄関で靴を脱いでください。
Kana: げんかんでくつをぬいでください。
Romaji: Genkan de kutsu o nuide kudasai.
English: Please take off your shoes at the entrance.
Japanese: 彼の靴下はとてもカラフルです。
Kana: かれのくつしたはとてもカラフルです。
Romaji: Kare no kutsushita wa totemo karafuru desu.
English: His socks are very colorful.
Japanese: 雨の日なので長靴を履きました。
Kana: あめのひなのでながぐつをはきました。
Romaji: Ame no hi nano de nagagutsu o hakimashita.
English: I wore boots because it was a rainy day.
Japanese: 運動靴を履いて公園を走りました。
Kana: うんどうぐつをはいてこうえんをはしりました。
Romaji: Undōgutsu o haite kōen o hashirimashita.
English: I wore sneakers and ran in the park.
Japanese: この革靴は手入れが必要です。
Kana: このかわぐつはていれがひつようです。
Romaji: Kono kawagutsu wa teire ga hitsuyō desu.
English: These leather shoes need maintenance.
Japanese: 靴のサイズは24センチです。
Kana: くつのサイズはにじゅうよんセンチです。
Romaji: Kutsu no saizu wa nijūyon senchi desu.
English: My shoe size is 24 cm.
Japanese: 靴紐がほどけていますよ。
Kana: くつひもがほどけていますよ。
Romaji: Kutsuhimo ga hodoketeimasu yo.
English: Your shoelaces are untied.
Japanese: 新しい靴を買いに靴屋へ行きました。
Kana: あたらしいくつをかいにくつやへいきました。
Romaji: Atarashii kutsu o kai ni kutsuya e ikimashita.
English: I went to the shoe store to buy new shoes.
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