ChiramiN4 kanji · 9 strokes
海 means sea
海
氵 water · 毎 every
海Memory trick
Water every (毎) way you look: the sea.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- sea, ocean
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 9
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) うみ umi
うみ (umi) 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) カイ kai
カイ (kai) 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
海外 かいがい · kaigai
foreign, abroad
Built from
- 氵 water
- 母 mother
- 毋 mother (old form)
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
母 Used in 10 kanji
毋 Used in 11 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 海 mean?
Right: 海 means sea.Not quite: 海 means sea.In 海外, which reading does 海 use?
Right. 海外 is read かいがい (kaigai): 海 takes カイ, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 海外 is read かいがい (kaigai): 海 takes カイ, its reading from Chinese.