N4 kanji · 7 strokes
声 means voice
声
声Memory trick
Someone (士) calling out from a doorway: voice.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meaning
- voice
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 7
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) こえ koe
こえ (koe) 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) セイ sei
セイ (sei) 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: ショウ shou
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
声明 せいめい · seimei
declaration, statement
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 声 mean?
Right: 声 means voice.Not quite: 声 means voice.In 声明, which reading does 声 use?
Right. 声明 is read せいめい (seimei): 声 takes セイ, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 声明 is read せいめい (seimei): 声 takes セイ, its reading from Chinese.