Readings: ショウ (Onyomi), さ.く, さき (Kunyomi)
Meaning: Bloom, blossom
Derived from 口 (mouth/opening) and 笑 (laugh/smile), representing the opening of a flower like a mouth smiling.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 咲 has 9 strokes. It starts with the 口 (kuchihen) radical on the left. The stroke order follows: 1. Vertical stroke of 口. 2. Horizontal-vertical turning right for 口. 3. Horizontal closing stroke for 口. Then for the right part (similar to 笑): 4. Diagonal stroke. 5. Vertical stroke. 6. Horizontal stroke. 7. Horizontal stroke. 8. Slanting left stroke. 9. Slanting right stroke.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 口 (くちへん) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | Secondary School (常用漢字) |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ショウ (Shō)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- さ.く (saku)
- さき (saki)
Common Words Using 咲
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
| 咲 | ショウ | Bloom, blossom (as the kanji itself, rarely used in compounds) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 咲く | さく | to bloom, to blossom |
| 花咲く | はなさく | flowers bloom |
| 咲き誇る | さきほこる | to bloom proudly/magnificently |
| 咲き乱れる | さきみだれる | to bloom profusely, be in full bloom everywhere |
| 咲き初め | さきぞめ | first bloom, beginning of blooming |
| 咲き始め | さきはじめ | beginning to bloom |
| 咲き残り | さきのこり | remaining blossoms (after peak bloom) |
| 咲き分け | さきわけ | blooming in different colors or patterns |
| 咲き出す | さきだす | to start blooming |
| 咲き立てる | さきたてる | to make bloom rapidly; to bring to bloom (often poetic) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 桜が美しく咲いた。
Kana: さくらがうつくしくさいた。
Romaji: Sakura ga utsukushiku saita.
English: The cherry blossoms bloomed beautifully.
Japanese: 庭に色々な花が咲いている。
Kana: にわにいろいろなはながさいている。
Romaji: Niwa ni iroiro na hana ga saite iru.
English: Various flowers are blooming in the garden.
Japanese: 彼女の笑顔が花のように咲いた。
Kana: かのじょのえがおがはなのようにさいた。
Romaji: Kanojo no egao ga hana no yō ni saita.
English: Her smile bloomed like a flower.
Japanese: このバラは毎年春に咲きます。
Kana: このバラはまいとしはるにさきます。
Romaji: Kono bara wa maitoshi haru ni sakimasu.
English: These roses bloom every spring.
Japanese: つぼみがもうすぐ咲きそうだ。
Kana: つぼみがもうすぐさきそうだ。
Romaji: Tsubomi ga mō sugu sakisō da.
English: The buds look like they will bloom soon.
Japanese: 夜にだけ咲く珍しい花がある。
Kana: よるにだけさくめずらしいはながある。
Romaji: Yoru ni dake saku mezurashii hana ga aru.
English: There is a rare flower that blooms only at night.
Japanese: 今年の桜は例年より早く咲き始めた。
Kana: ことしのさくらはれいねんよりはやくさきはじめた。
Romaji: Kotoshi no sakura wa reinen yori hayaku sakihajimeta.
English: This year’s cherry blossoms started to bloom earlier than usual.
Japanese: 子供たちの笑顔が満開に咲いている。
Kana: こどもたちのえがおがまんかいにさいている。
Romaji: Kodomo-tachi no egao ga mankai ni saite iru.
English: The children’s smiles are in full bloom (radiating).
Japanese: 彼の努力が実を結び、才能が大きく咲いた。
Kana: かれのどりょくがみをむすび、さいのうがおおきくさいた。
Romaji: Kare no doryoku ga mi o musubi, sainō ga ōkiku saita.
English: His efforts bore fruit, and his talent greatly blossomed.
Japanese: この地域の伝統文化が再び咲き誇っている。
Kana: このちいきのでんとうぶんかがふたたびさきほこっている。
Romaji: Kono chiiki no dentō bunka ga futatabi sakihokotte iru.
English: The traditional culture of this region is proudly blooming again.
Related Grammar & kanji list
Expand your study with grammar and kanji lists for other JLPT levels:
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.