KaiwaGo三 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
三 means “three”. It is written with 3 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: サン (san). Kun’yomi: み (mi), み.つ (mitsu), みっ.つ (mittsu).
How to write 三 (stroke order)
Write 三 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 三
Trace 三 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 三
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | サン (san) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | み (mi)み.つ (mitsu)みっ.つ (mittsu) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 三 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 三
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 三つ | みっつ mittsu | three (things) | |
| 三月 | さんがつ sangatsu | March |
三つ (mittsu) means “three (things)”.
三月 (sangatsu) means “March”. Also in this word: 月
FAQ
What does 三 mean in Japanese?
三 means “three”. Common words with it are 三つ (mittsu, “three (things)”) and 三月 (sangatsu, “March”).
How many strokes does 三 have?
三 has 3 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 3.
How do you read 三?
The on’yomi is サン (san) and the kun’yomi is み (mi), み.つ (mitsu), みっ.つ (mittsu). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 三 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 三 is kanji number 3 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.