ChiramiN4 kanji · 7 strokes
私 means private, I
私
禾 grain · 厶 mine
私Memory trick
Grain (禾) you keep for yourself (厶): private, I.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- private, I, me
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 7
- School grade
- Grade 6 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) わたくし watakushi
わたくし (watakushi) 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: わたし watashi
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.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
私たち わたしたち · watashitachi
we, us
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
禾 Used in 41 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 私 mean?
Right: 私 means private, I.Not quite: 私 means private, I.In 私たち, which reading does 私 use?
Right. 私たち is read わたしたち (watashitachi): 私 takes わたし, its Japanese reading.Not quite. 私たち is read わたしたち (watashitachi): 私 takes わたし, its Japanese reading.