ChiramiN5 kanji · 3 strokes
下 means down, below
一 a line · 卜 a mark hanging below
下Real origin
A mark hanging below a line: down, below.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- below, down, descend, give
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 3
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) した shita
した (shita) 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: しも shimo, もと moto, さげる sageru
From Chinese (onyomi) カ ka
カ (ka) 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: ゲ ge
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
下る くだる · kudaru
to descend, to go down
Built from
- 一 one
- 卜 sign
- 丨 a line
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
卜 Used in 33 kanji
See all 4 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 下 mean?
Right: 下 means down, below.Not quite: 下 means down, below.In 下る, which reading does 下 use?
Right. 下る is read くだる (kudaru): 下 takes くだ, its Japanese reading, with る after it.Not quite. 下る is read くだる (kudaru): 下 takes くだ, its Japanese reading, with る after it.