KaiwaGo口 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
口 means “mouth”. It is written with 3 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: コウ (kou), ク (ku). Kun’yomi: くち (kuchi).
How to write 口 (stroke order)
Write 口 in 3 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
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 口
Trace 口 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 口
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | コウ (kou)ク (ku) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | くち (kuchi) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 口 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 口
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 口 | くち kuchi | mouth | |
| 人口 | じんこう jinkou | population |
口 (kuchi) means “mouth”.
人口 (jinkou) means “population”. Also in this word: 人
FAQ
What does 口 mean in Japanese?
口 means “mouth”. Common words with it are 口 (kuchi, “mouth”) and 人口 (jinkou, “population”).
How many strokes does 口 have?
口 has 3 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 3.
How do you read 口?
The on’yomi is コウ (kou), ク (ku) and the kun’yomi is くち (kuchi). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 口 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 口 is kanji number 48 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.