ChiramiN4 kanji · 5 strokes
仕 means serve, work
仕
亻 person · 士 scholar
仕Memory trick
A person serving a scholar (士): to serve, as in 仕事 (work).
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- attend, doing, official, serve
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 5
- School grade
- Grade 3 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) つかえる tsukaeru
つかえる (tsukaeru) 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 shi
シ (shi) 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: ジ ji
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
仕事 しごと · shigoto
work, job
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
士 Used in 28 kanji
See all 4 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 仕 mean?
Right: 仕 means serve, work.Not quite: 仕 means serve, work.In 仕事, which reading does 仕 use?
Right. 仕事 is read しごと (shigoto): 仕 takes シ, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 仕事 is read しごと (shigoto): 仕 takes シ, its reading from Chinese.