KaiwaGo左 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
左 means “left”. It is written with 5 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: サ (sa). Kun’yomi: ひだり (hidari).
How to write 左 (stroke order)
Write 左 in 5 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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 左
Trace 左 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 左
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | サ (sa) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | ひだり (hidari) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 左 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 左
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 左 | ひだり hidari | left | |
| 左手 | ひだりて hidarite | left hand |
左 (hidari) means “left”.
左手 (hidarite) means “left hand”. Also in this word: 手
FAQ
What does 左 mean in Japanese?
左 means “left”. Common words with it are 左 (hidari, “left”) and 左手 (hidarite, “left hand”).
How many strokes does 左 have?
左 has 5 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 5.
How do you read 左?
The on’yomi is サ (sa) and the kun’yomi is ひだり (hidari). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 左 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 左 is kanji number 35 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.