KaiwaGo一 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
一 means “one”. It is written with 1 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: イチ (ichi), イツ (itsu). Kun’yomi: ひと (hito), ひと.つ (hitotsu).
How to write 一 (stroke order)
Write 一 in 1 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
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 一
Trace 一 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 一
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | イチ (ichi)イツ (itsu) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | ひと (hito)ひと.つ (hitotsu) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 一 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 一
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一つ | ひとつ hitotsu | one (thing) | |
| 一月 | いちがつ ichigatsu | January |
一つ (hitotsu) means “one (thing)”.
一月 (ichigatsu) means “January”. Also in this word: 月
FAQ
What does 一 mean in Japanese?
一 means “one”. Common words with it are 一つ (hitotsu, “one (thing)”) and 一月 (ichigatsu, “January”).
How many strokes does 一 have?
一 has 1 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 1.
How do you read 一?
The on’yomi is イチ (ichi), イツ (itsu) and the kun’yomi is ひと (hito), ひと.つ (hitotsu). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 一 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 一 is kanji number 1 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.