KaiwaGo時 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
時 means “time, hour”. It is written with 10 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ジ (ji). Kun’yomi: とき (toki).
How to write 時 (stroke order)
Write 時 in 10 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
General rules: top before bottom, left before right, horizontal before a vertical that crosses it, and a closing bottom stroke last. Writing in the right order makes handwriting readable and helps you count strokes when you look a kanji up.
Practice writing 時
Trace 時 over the faint model with your finger or mouse, following the stroke order above. Turn the model off to write it from memory.
Readings of 時
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ジ (ji) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | とき (toki) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 時 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 時
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 時間 | じかん jikan | time | |
| 時計 | とけい tokei | clock, watch |
時間 (jikan) means “time”. Also in this word: 間
時計 (tokei) means “clock, watch”.
FAQ
What does 時 mean in Japanese?
時 means “time, hour”. Common words with it are 時間 (jikan, “time”) and 時計 (tokei, “clock, watch”).
How many strokes does 時 have?
時 has 10 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 10.
How do you read 時?
The on’yomi is ジ (ji) and the kun’yomi is とき (toki). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 時 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 時 is kanji number 26 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.