Readings: シ (Onyomi), えだ (Kunyomi)
Meaning: Branch, twig, limb
A phono-semantic compound (形声字); derived from the semantic component 木 (tree) and the phonetic component 支 (zhi, meaning ‘branch, support’), indicating something extending from a main body.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 枝 (eda) is written with 8 strokes. Start with the left vertical stroke of 木, followed by the two horizontal strokes, then the right-side vertical stroke with a hook. Then, for the 支 component, write the horizontal stroke, the left-falling stroke, the right-falling stroke, and finally the bottom horizontal stroke.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 木 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 8 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | 5 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- シ (shi)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- えだ (eda)
Common Words Using 枝
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 枝葉 | しよう | branches and leaves; trivial matters (less common reading) |
| 枝流 | しりゅう | tributary, branch stream (less common) |
| 枝線 | しせん | branch line (e.g., railway) |
| 枝肉 | しにく | dressed carcass (technical, butchery term) |
| 枝番 | しばん | sub-number, suffix number (e.g., for an address) |
| 枝道 | しみち | side road, branch road (less common reading) |
| 枝幹 | しかん | branches and trunk (rare, botanical term) |
| 枝節 | しせつ | minor details, trivialities (rare, usually えだふし) |
| 枝付け | しつけ | attaching branches, grafting (rare usage) |
| 枝元 | しげん | base of a branch (rare) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 枝 | えだ | branch, twig |
| 小枝 | こえだ | twig, small branch |
| 枝豆 | えだまめ | edamame (soybeans in the pod) |
| 枝分かれ | えだわかれ | branching off, bifurcation |
| 枝葉 | えだは | leaves and branches; minor details (common reading) |
| 枝ぶり | えだぶり | shape of branches |
| 枝道 | えだみち | side road, branch road |
| 枝先 | えださき | tip of a branch |
| 枝折れ | えだおれ | broken branch |
| 枝打ち | えだうち | pruning, lopping branches |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 木の枝が風で揺れている。
Kana: きのえだがかぜでゆれている。
Romaji: Ki no eda ga kaze de yurete iru.
English: The tree branches are swaying in the wind.
Japanese: 小鳥が枝に止まっている。
Kana: ことりがえだにとまっている。
Romaji: Kotori ga eda ni tomatte iru.
English: A small bird is perched on a branch.
Japanese: 桜の枝に花が咲いた。
Kana: さくらのえだにはながさいた。
Romaji: Sakura no eda ni hana ga saita.
English: Flowers bloomed on the cherry tree branches.
Japanese: 彼は木の枝を拾って歩いた。
Kana: かれはきのえだをひろってあるいた。
Romaji: Kare wa ki no eda o hirotte aruita.
English: He walked picking up tree branches.
Japanese: この道は途中で枝分かれしている。
Kana: このみちはとちゅうでえだわかれしている。
Romaji: Kono michi wa tochū de edawakare shite iru.
English: This road branches off halfway.
Japanese: 庭の木を枝打ちする必要がある。
Kana: にわのきをえだうちするひつようがある。
Romaji: Niwa no ki o edauchi suru hitsuyō ga aru.
English: I need to prune the tree in the garden.
Japanese: スーパーで枝豆を買ってきた。
Kana: スーパーでえだまめをかってきた。
Romaji: Sūpā de edamame o katte kita.
English: I bought edamame at the supermarket.
Japanese: 折れた枝が地面に落ちた。
Kana: おれたえだがじめんにおちた。
Romaji: Oreta eda ga jimen ni ochita.
English: The broken branch fell to the ground.
Japanese: 鳥の巣が太い枝の上にあった。
Kana: とりのすがふといえだのうえにあった。
Romaji: Tori no su ga futoi eda no ue ni atta.
English: The bird’s nest was on a thick branch.
Japanese: 台風で木の枝が折れた。
Kana: たいふうできのえだがおれた。
Romaji: Taifū de ki no eda ga oreta.
English: Tree branches broke in the typhoon.
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