ChiramiN5 kanji · 4 strokes
日 means sun, day
日
日Real origin
It began as a drawing of the sun.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- day, sun, Japan
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 4
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) ひ hi
ひ (hi) 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) ニチ nichi
ニチ (nichi) 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: ジツ jitsu
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
今日 きょう · kyou
today, this day
Quick check
What does 日 mean?
Right: 日 means sun, day.Not quite: 日 means sun, day.In 今日 (きょう), what kind of reading does 日 have?
Right. 今日 (きょう, kyou) has a special reading: it belongs to this word, not to 日 on its own, so you learn it with the word.Not quite. 今日 (きょう, kyou) has a special reading: it belongs to this word, not to 日 on its own, so you learn it with the word.