KaiwaGo目 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
目 means “eye”. It is written with 5 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: モク (moku), ボク (boku). Kun’yomi: め (me).
How to write 目 (stroke order)
Write 目 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 目
Trace 目 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 目
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | モク (moku)ボク (boku) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | め (me) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 目 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 目
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 目 | め me | eye | |
| 一つ目 | ひとつめ hitotsume | the first one |
目 (me) means “eye”.
一つ目 (hitotsume) means “the first one”. Also in this word: 一
FAQ
What does 目 mean in Japanese?
目 means “eye”. Common words with it are 目 (me, “eye”) and 一つ目 (hitotsume, “the first one”).
How many strokes does 目 have?
目 has 5 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 5.
How do you read 目?
The on’yomi is モク (moku), ボク (boku) and the kun’yomi is め (me). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 目 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 目 is kanji number 71 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.