KaiwaGo本 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
本 means “book, origin”. It is written with 5 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ホン (hon). Kun’yomi: もと (moto).
How to write 本 (stroke order)
Write 本 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 本
Trace 本 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 本
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ホン (hon) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | もと (moto) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 本 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 本
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 本 | ほん hon | book | |
| 日本 | にほん nihon | Japan |
本 (hon) means “book”.
日本 (nihon) means “Japan”. Also in this word: 日
FAQ
What does 本 mean in Japanese?
本 means “book, origin”. Common words with it are 本 (hon, “book”) and 日本 (nihon, “Japan”).
How many strokes does 本 have?
本 has 5 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 5.
How do you read 本?
The on’yomi is ホン (hon) and the kun’yomi is もと (moto). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 本 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 本 is kanji number 23 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.