Down in Japanese
"down" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
下
shita
8 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "down". The most common choice is shown first.
Top pick
below, down, descend, give, low, inferior
Reading: ka
3 strokes
Where it comes from
Indicative character with a dot below a baseline. Opposite of '上' (above).
What it carries
Humility, foundation, descending. Represents modest contribution as in 'unsung hero'.
Related kanji for "down"
down
mou
Pictograph of hair.
lie down(also: sleep, rest, bed)
shin · peaceful, dark
Composed of roof and phonetic. Sleeping under roof.
bend down(also: prostrated, bow, cover)
fuku
Composed of person and dog. Person lying like dog.
calm down(also: reign, be at peace, subdue)
ji · peaceful, wisdom
Composed of water and platform. Governing water.
come down(also: fall, drop, village)
raku
Combines 'grass' (艹) with 'fall' (洛), depicting leaves and flowers falling to the ground. Also means descent, decline, and ending.
break down(also: overthrow, fall, collapse)
tou
Composed of person and arrive. Person falling on arrival.
squat down, sit down(also: set, lay a foundation, install)
kyo
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for down?
The most common kanji for "down" is 下, read as ka. It means below, down, descend. Related kanji: 毛 (down), 寝 (lie down), 伏 (bend down), 治 (calm down), 落 (come down), 倒 (break down) and more.
How many strokes does 下 have?
下 has 3 strokes.