KaiwaGo午 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
午 means “noon”. It is written with 4 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ゴ (go). Kun’yomi: うま (uma).
How to write 午 (stroke order)
Write 午 in 4 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
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 午
Trace 午 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 午
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ゴ (go) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | うま (uma) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 午 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 午
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 午前 | ごぜん gozen | morning (a.m.) | |
| 午後 | ごご gogo | afternoon (p.m.) |
午前 (gozen) means “morning (a.m.)”. Also in this word: 前
午後 (gogo) means “afternoon (p.m.)”. Also in this word: 後
FAQ
What does 午 mean in Japanese?
午 means “noon”. Common words with it are 午前 (gozen, “morning (a.m.)”) and 午後 (gogo, “afternoon (p.m.)”).
How many strokes does 午 have?
午 has 4 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 4.
How do you read 午?
The on’yomi is ゴ (go) and the kun’yomi is うま (uma). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 午 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 午 is kanji number 30 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.