ChiramiN5 kanji · 6 strokes
西 means west
西
西Real origin
Probably a bird's nest at first: birds settle in as the sun sets in the west.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- west, Spain
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 6
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) にし nishi
にし (nishi) 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: サイ sai, ス su
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
東西 とうざい · touzai
east and west
Quick check
What does 西 mean?
Right: 西 means west.Not quite: 西 means west.In 東西, which reading does 西 use?
Right. 東西 is read とうざい (touzai): 西 takes サイ, its reading from Chinese, which becomes ざい here.Not quite. 東西 is read とうざい (touzai): 西 takes サイ, its reading from Chinese, which becomes ざい here.