ChiramiN5 kanji · 10 strokes
書 means write
書
聿 a hand holding a brush · 曰 to say
書Memory trick
A hand holding a brush (聿) over what is said (曰): to write.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meaning
- write
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 10
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) かく kaku
かく (kaku) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
From Chinese (onyomi) ショ sho
ショ (sho) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
書く かく · kaku
to write, to compose
Built from
- 聿 brush
- 日 sun, day
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
聿 Used in 8 kanji
Quick check
What does 書 mean?
Right: 書 means write.Not quite: 書 means write.In 書く, which reading does 書 use?
Right. 書く is read かく (kaku): 書 takes か, its Japanese reading, with く after it.Not quite. 書く is read かく (kaku): 書 takes か, its Japanese reading, with く after it.