ChiramiN5 kanji · 8 strokes
長 means long, leader
長
長Real origin
It began as an elder with long, flowing hair: long, and the head of a group.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- long, leader, superior, senior
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 8
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) ながい nagai
ながい (nagai) 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.
Other Japanese readings: おさ osa
From Chinese (onyomi) チョウ chou
チョウ (chou) 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
長い ながい · nagai
long
Quick check
What does 長 mean?
Right: 長 means long, leader.Not quite: 長 means long, leader.In 長い, which reading does 長 use?
Right. 長い is read ながい (nagai): 長 takes なが, its Japanese reading, with い after it.Not quite. 長い is read ながい (nagai): 長 takes なが, its Japanese reading, with い after it.