Readings: ジ (Onyomi), あざ (Kunyomi)
Meaning: character, letter, word, writing
Originally a pictogram depicting a child (子) under a roof (宀). This represented learning or the continuation of a family line through written records, evolving to mean “character” or “writing.”
View JLPT N4 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 字 has 6 strokes. Start with the “roof” radical (宀). First, the top dot, then the horizontal line with a hook, then the vertical stroke in the middle. After that, write the “child” radical (子) below it. This involves a horizontal stroke, a vertical stroke with a hook, and then the sweeping stroke.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 子 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 6 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
| Grade | 1 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ジ (ji)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- あざ (aza)
Common Words Using 字
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 文字 | もじ | character, letter |
| 漢字 | かんじ | Kanji character |
| 数字 | すうじ | number, numeral |
| ローマ字 | ローマじ | Romaji (Roman alphabet) |
| 活字 | かつじ | printing type |
| 習字 | しゅうじ | calligraphy, penmanship |
| 赤字 | あかじ | deficit, red ink |
| 黒字 | くろじ | surplus, black ink |
| 名字 | みょうじ | surname, family name |
| 字引 | じびき | dictionary (slightly archaic) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 字 | あざ | hamlet, section of a village/town |
| 大字 | おおあざ | large section of a village |
| 小字 | こあざ | small section of a village |
| 字名 | あざな | hamlet name; courtesy name (archaic) |
| 字界 | あざかい | boundary of a hamlet/section |
| 字地 | あざち | land of a hamlet/section |
| 字頭 | あざがしら | head of a hamlet/section |
| 字別 | あざべつ | by hamlet/section |
| 字域 | あざいき | area of a hamlet/section |
| 字内 | あざうち | within the hamlet/section |
Example Sentences
Japanese: この漢字の書き方が分かりません。
Kana: このかんじのかきかたがわかりません。
Romaji: Kono kanji no kakikata ga wakarimasen.
English: I don’t know how to write this kanji character.
Japanese: 彼はきれいな字を書きます。
Kana: かれはきれいなじをかきます。
Romaji: Kare wa kirei na ji o kakimasu.
English: He writes beautiful characters.
Japanese: 子どもの頃から字を丁寧に書く練習をしています。
Kana: こどものころからじをていねいにかくれんしゅうをしています。
Romaji: Kodomo no koro kara ji o teinei ni kaku renshuu o shiteimasu.
English: I have been practicing writing characters carefully since childhood.
Japanese: 辞書で知らない字を調べました。
Kana: じしょでしらないじをしらべました。
Romaji: Jisho de shiranai ji o shirabemashita.
English: I looked up the unknown character in the dictionary.
Japanese: この本は字が大きくて読みやすいです。
Kana: このほんはじがおおきくてよみやすいです。
Romaji: Kono hon wa ji ga ookikute yomiyasui desu.
English: This book has large characters and is easy to read.
Japanese: 手紙の字が小さすぎて読めません。
Kana: てがみのじがちいさすぎてよめません。
Romaji: Tegami no ji ga chiisasugite yomemasen.
English: The characters in the letter are too small to read.
Japanese: 日本語の文章には漢字とひらがなとカタカナの字が使われています。
Kana: にほんごのぶんしょうにはかんじとひらがなとかたかなのじがつかわれています。
Romaji: Nihongo no bunshou ni wa kanji to hiragana to katakana no ji ga tsukawarete imasu.
English: Japanese sentences use kanji, hiragana, and katakana characters.
Japanese: 彼の名字は田中です。
Kana: かれのみょうじはたなかです。
Romaji: Kare no myouji wa Tanaka desu.
English: His surname is Tanaka.
Japanese: 数字を間違えて書いてしまいました。
Kana: すうじをまちがえてかいてしまいました。
Romaji: Suuji o machigaete kaite shimaimashita.
English: I wrote the numbers incorrectly.
Japanese: これは彼の直筆の字です。
Kana: これはかれのちょくひつのじです。
Romaji: Kore wa kare no chokuhitsu no ji desu.
English: These are his handwritten characters.
Related Grammar & kanji list
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