KaiwaGo四 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
四 means “four”. It is written with 5 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: シ (shi). Kun’yomi: よ (yo), よ.つ (yotsu), よっ.つ (yottsu), よん (yon).
How to write 四 (stroke order)
Write 四 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 四
Trace 四 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 四
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | シ (shi) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | よ (yo)よ.つ (yotsu)よっ.つ (yottsu)よん (yon) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 四 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 四
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 四つ | よっつ yottsu | four (things) | |
| 四月 | しがつ shigatsu | April |
四つ (yottsu) means “four (things)”.
四月 (shigatsu) means “April”. Also in this word: 月
FAQ
What does 四 mean in Japanese?
四 means “four”. Common words with it are 四つ (yottsu, “four (things)”) and 四月 (shigatsu, “April”).
How many strokes does 四 have?
四 has 5 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 5.
How do you read 四?
The on’yomi is シ (shi) and the kun’yomi is よ (yo), よ.つ (yotsu), よっ.つ (yottsu), よん (yon). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 四 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 四 is kanji number 4 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.