KaiwaGo子 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
子 means “child”. It is written with 3 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: シ (shi), ス (su). Kun’yomi: こ (ko).
How to write 子 (stroke order)
Write 子 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 子
Trace 子 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 子
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | シ (shi)ス (su) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | こ (ko) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 子 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 子
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 子ども | こども kodomo | child | |
| 帽子 | ぼうし boushi | hat |
子ども (kodomo) means “child”.
帽子 (boushi) means “hat”.
FAQ
What does 子 mean in Japanese?
子 means “child”. Common words with it are 子ども (kodomo, “child”) and 帽子 (boushi, “hat”).
How many strokes does 子 have?
子 has 3 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 3.
How do you read 子?
The on’yomi is シ (shi), ス (su) and the kun’yomi is こ (ko). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 子 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 子 is kanji number 70 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.