KaiwaGo南 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
南 means “south”. It is written with 9 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ナン (nan), ナ (na). Kun’yomi: みなみ (minami).
How to write 南 (stroke order)
Write 南 in 9 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
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 南
Trace 南 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 南
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ナン (nan)ナ (na) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | みなみ (minami) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 南 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 南
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 南 | みなみ minami | south | |
| 南口 | みなみぐち minamiguchi | south exit |
南 (minami) means “south”.
南口 (minamiguchi) means “south exit”. Also in this word: 口
FAQ
What does 南 mean in Japanese?
南 means “south”. Common words with it are 南 (minami, “south”) and 南口 (minamiguchi, “south exit”).
How many strokes does 南 have?
南 has 9 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 9.
How do you read 南?
The on’yomi is ナン (nan), ナ (na) and the kun’yomi is みなみ (minami). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 南 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 南 is kanji number 95 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.