KaiwaGo西 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
西 means “west”. It is written with 6 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: セイ (sei), サイ (sai). Kun’yomi: にし (nishi).
How to write 西 (stroke order)
Write 西 in 6 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
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 西
Trace 西 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 西
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | セイ (sei)サイ (sai) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | にし (nishi) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 西 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 西
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 西 | にし nishi | west | |
| 西口 | にしぐち nishiguchi | west exit |
西 (nishi) means “west”.
西口 (nishiguchi) means “west exit”. Also in this word: 口
FAQ
What does 西 mean in Japanese?
西 means “west”. Common words with it are 西 (nishi, “west”) and 西口 (nishiguchi, “west exit”).
How many strokes does 西 have?
西 has 6 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 6.
How do you read 西?
The on’yomi is セイ (sei), サイ (sai) and the kun’yomi is にし (nishi). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 西 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 西 is kanji number 94 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.