Sake in Japanese
"sake" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
5 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "sake". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
日本酒 (nihonshu) is what English calls sake: rice wine. In Japanese, 酒 means alcohol of any kind, so asking for 酒 gets you a drink, not necessarily sake. 酎 is distilled spirit, the chū of shōchū. If you want the Japanese rice wine specifically, 日本酒 is the word.
Top pick
sake, alcohol
Reading: shu
10 strokes
Where it comes from
Composed of water and wine vessel. Water of wine vessel.
What it carries
Japanese sake, banquet, celebration. Represents alcohol.
Related kanji for "sake"
sake
chuu
Composed of wine and measure. Measure of wine.
pure sake(also: purity, affection)
jun · peaceful
Composed of wine and receive. Pure wine.
serving sake(also: bar-tending, the host, draw (water))
shaku · nature
Composed of wine and ladle. Ladling wine.
sake dipper(also: Big Dipper, ten sho (vol), dots and cross radical (no. 68))
to
Shape of ladle. Measure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for sake?
The most common kanji for "sake" is 酒, read as shu. It means sake, alcohol. Related kanji: 酎 (sake), 醇 (pure sake), 酌 (serving sake), 斗 (sake dipper).
How many strokes does 酒 have?
酒 has 10 strokes.