KaiwaGo下 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
下 means “down, below”. It is written with 3 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: カ (ka), ゲ (ge). Kun’yomi: した (shita), しも (shimo), もと (moto), さ.げる (sageru), さ.がる (sagaru), くだ.る (kudaru), お.りる (oriru).
How to write 下 (stroke order)
Write 下 in 3 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
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 下
Trace 下 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 下
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | カ (ka)ゲ (ge) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | した (shita)しも (shimo)もと (moto)さ.げる (sageru)さ.がる (sagaru)くだ.る (kudaru)お.りる (oriru) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 下 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 下
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 下 | した shita | below, under | |
| 地下鉄 | ちかてつ chikatetsu | subway |
下 (shita) means “below, under”.
地下鉄 (chikatetsu) means “subway”.
FAQ
What does 下 mean in Japanese?
下 means “down, below”. Common words with it are 下 (shita, “below, under”) and 地下鉄 (chikatetsu, “subway”).
How many strokes does 下 have?
下 has 3 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 3.
How do you read 下?
The on’yomi is カ (ka), ゲ (ge) and the kun’yomi is した (shita), しも (shimo), もと (moto), さ.げる (sageru), さ.がる (sagaru), くだ.る (kudaru), お.りる (oriru). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 下 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 下 is kanji number 34 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.