Readings: ビョウ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi)
Meaning: second (unit of time)
The character 秒 is composed of two parts: the radical 禾 (nogi, meaning grain or rice plant) and the phonetic component 少 (shō, meaning few or little). It originally depicted rice ears bending under the weight of the grain, implying a small amount or a short duration. Over time, it came to represent the smallest unit of time, a second.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The character 秒 is written with 11 strokes. It starts with the radical 禾 (nogi), followed by the components that form 少 (shō). The stroke order typically begins with the horizontal strokes of 禾, then the vertical and diagonal strokes, followed by the strokes of 少.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 十 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 11 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | 1 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ビョウ (byō)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- ()
Common Words Using 秒
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 秒 | びょう | second (unit of time) |
| 秒針 | びょうしん | second hand (of a clock) |
| １秒 | いちびょう | one second |
| 秒速 | びょうそく | speed in meters per second |
| 秒読み | びょうよみ | countdown |
| 秒間 | びょうかん | second (duration) |
| 秒殺 | びょうさつ | instant kill |
| 秒当たり | びょうあたり | per second |
| 秒読み開始 | びょうよみかいし | start the countdown |
| 秒針盤 | びょうしんばん | second dial |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
Example Sentences
Japanese: この時計は１秒ごとに進みます。
Kana: このとけいは いちびょうごとにすすみます。
Romaji: kono tokei wa ichibyou goto ni susumimasu.
English: This clock advances every second.
Japanese: あと３秒で試合が終わります。
Kana: あと さんびょうでしあいが おわります。
Romaji: ato sanbyou de shiai ga owarimasu.
English: The game will end in 3 more seconds.
Japanese: １分は６０秒です。
Kana: いっぷんは ろくじゅうびょうです。
Romaji: ippun wa rokujūbyō desu.
English: One minute is 60 seconds.
Japanese: 秒速１０メートルの風が吹いています。
Kana: びょうそく じゅうメートルの かぜが ふいています。
Romaji: byōsoku jū mētoru no kaze ga fuite imasu.
English: The wind is blowing at 10 meters per second.
Japanese: 秒針がゆっくり動いている。
Kana: びょうしんが ゆっくり うごいている。
Romaji: byōshin ga yukkuri ugoite iru.
English: The second hand is moving slowly.
Japanese: そのチャンスはわずか１秒しかなかった。
Kana: そのチャンスはわずか いちびょうしかなかった。
Romaji: sono chansu wa wazuka ichibyō shika nakatta.
English: That chance lasted only one second.
Japanese: 秒読みが始まり、緊張感が高まった。
Kana: びょうよみが はじまり、きんちょうかんが たかまった。
Romaji: byōyomi ga hajimari, kinchōkan ga takamatta.
English: The countdown began, and the tension rose.
Japanese: 彼は１００メートルを１０秒で走った。
Kana: かれは ひゃくメートルを じゅうびょうで はしった。
Romaji: kare wa hyaku mētoru o jūbyō de hashitta.
English: He ran 100 meters in 10 seconds.
Japanese: １秒を争うような状況です。
Kana: いちびょうをあらそうような じょうきょうです。
Romaji: ichibyō o arasō yō na jōkyō desu.
English: It is a situation where every second counts.
Japanese: 記録は秒単位で計られる。
Kana: きろくは びょうたんで はかられる。
Romaji: kiroku wa byōtan de hakara reru.
English: Records are measured in seconds.
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