KaiwaGo二 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
二 means “two”. It is written with 2 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ニ (ni). Kun’yomi: ふた (futa), ふた.つ (futatsu).
How to write 二 (stroke order)
Write 二 in 2 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
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 二
Trace 二 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 二
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ニ (ni) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | ふた (futa)ふた.つ (futatsu) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 二 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 二
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 二つ | ふたつ futatsu | two (things) | |
| 二人 | ふたり futari | two people |
二つ (futatsu) means “two (things)”.
二人 (futari) means “two people”. Also in this word: 人
FAQ
What does 二 mean in Japanese?
二 means “two”. Common words with it are 二つ (futatsu, “two (things)”) and 二人 (futari, “two people”).
How many strokes does 二 have?
二 has 2 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 2.
How do you read 二?
The on’yomi is ニ (ni) and the kun’yomi is ふた (futa), ふた.つ (futatsu). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 二 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 二 is kanji number 2 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.