ChiramiN5 kanji · 4 strokes
木 means tree, wood
木
木Real origin
It began as a drawing of a tree: branches up, roots down.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- tree, wood
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 4
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) き ki
き (ki) 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) ボク boku
ボク (boku) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: モク moku
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
木曜日 もくようび · mokuyoubi
Thursday
Quick check
What does 木 mean?
Right: 木 means tree, wood.Not quite: 木 means tree, wood.In 木曜日, which reading does 木 use?
Right. 木曜日 is read もくようび (mokuyoubi): 木 takes モク, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 木曜日 is read もくようび (mokuyoubi): 木 takes モク, its reading from Chinese.