KaiwaGo道 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
道 means “road, way”. It is written with 12 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ドウ (dou), トウ (tou). Kun’yomi: みち (michi).
How to write 道 (stroke order)
Write 道 in 12 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
- 10
- 11
- 12
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 道
Trace 道 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 道
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ドウ (dou)トウ (tou) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | みち (michi) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 道 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 道
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 道 | みち michi | road | |
| 北海道 | ほっかいどう hokkaidou | Hokkaido |
道 (michi) means “road”.
北海道 (hokkaidou) means “Hokkaido”. Also in this word: 北
FAQ
What does 道 mean in Japanese?
道 means “road, way”. Common words with it are 道 (michi, “road”) and 北海道 (hokkaidou, “Hokkaido”).
How many strokes does 道 have?
道 has 12 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 12.
How do you read 道?
The on’yomi is ドウ (dou), トウ (tou) and the kun’yomi is みち (michi). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 道 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 道 is kanji number 97 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.