Chinese in Japanese
"chinese" is written as one word in Japanese. No single kanji carries the meaning on its own.
The characters below are the ones most often used to write "chinese" and related ideas.
Which one to use
中国語 (chūgokugo) is the Chinese language. 漢 is China of the Han, and it is the 漢 in 漢字 — the characters Japan took from China. 華 is China as the flowering centre, the 華 of 中華. 唐 is Tang-dynasty China, and in older Japanese it meant foreign things generally.
Top pick
Sino-, China
Reading: kan
13 strokes · dark, spiritual
Where it comes from
Composed of water and phonetic element. From Han River, refers to China.
What it carries
China, Chinese characters, man. 'Kanji' is character system from China.
Related kanji for "chinese"
chinese
ka · beautiful, nature
Shape of plants blooming. Beautiful and flourishing.
chinese
tou · spiritual
Composed of roof and phonetic. Wide roof of Tang.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for chinese?
The most common kanji for "chinese" is 漢, read as kan. It means Sino-, China. Related kanji: 華 (chinese), 唐 (chinese).
How many strokes does 漢 have?
漢 has 13 strokes.