五
five
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape connecting heaven and earth. Fundamental number in Five Elements philosophy.
Symbolism
Harmony, five senses, five elements. Represents balance and completeness.
Words & Expressions
Words written with 五
Four-Character Compounds
九寸五分
くすんごぶ
dagger
五臓六腑
ごぞうろっぷ
the five viscera and the six internal organs; inside one's body; in one's heart
五分五分
ごぶごぶ
as likely as not; fifty-fifty; even match
五里霧中
ごりむちゅう
totally at a loss; lose one's bearings; in a maze
四分五裂
しぶんごれつ
torn asunder; disrupted and disorganized
三三五五
さんさんごご
in groups of twos and threes; in small groups; (in groups of) threes and fives
四書五経
ししょごきょう
the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism; the Nine Chinese Classics
五風十雨
ごふうじゅうう
seasonable rains and winds; halcyon weather; halcyon times of peace
陰陽五行
いんようごぎょう
the cosmic dual forces (yin and yang) and the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth) in Chinese cosmology
五穀豊穣
ごこくほうじょう
huge harvest (of the five grains); bumper crop; abundant crop
五十知命
ごじゅうちめい
at age fifty, one comes to know the will of Heaven
四肢五体
ししごたい
the whole body
五陰盛苦
ごおんじょうく
pain caused by the five skandhas
五族協和
ごぞくきょうわ
five races under one union (Han, Manchurians, Mongolians, Hui, Tibetans; founding principle of the Republic of China); harmony of the five races (Manchurians, Han, Mongolians, Koreans, Japanese; official policy of Manchukuo)
五体投地
ごたいとうち
prostration; placing knees, hands and forehead on the ground to show utmost respect
Proverbs & Idioms
五十歩百歩
ごじっぽひゃっぽ
Fifty steps or a hundred steps
The difference is negligible
Poetry
五月雨をあつめて早し最上川
Gathering the rains of the fifth month, the Mogami runs fast.
五月雨や大河を前に家二軒
The rains of the fifth month — two houses facing a swollen river.
鳥羽殿へ五六騎いそぐ野分かな
Five or six riders hurrying to the Toba palace — a late autumn gale.
鶏頭の十四五本もありぬべし
There must be a good fourteen or fifteen cockscombs standing there.
Anime & Manga
五等分の花嫁
The Quintessential Quintuplets
A well-known work with 五 in its Japanese title.
五等分の花嫁∬
The Quintessential Quintuplets 2
A well-known work with 五 in its Japanese title.
映画 五等分の花嫁
The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie
A well-known work with 五 in its Japanese title.
五等分の花嫁∽
The Quintessential Quintuplets Specials
A well-known work with 五 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
石川五右衛門
Name contains 五
Ishikawa Goemon was the leader of a group of bandits during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in Japan.
Wikipedia橋口五葉
Name contains 五
Goyō Hashiguchi was a Japanese artist. At the forefront of the shin-hanga movement, a revival of ukiyo-e, he designed fourteen woodblock prints which…
Wikipedia高平小五郎
Name contains 五
Baron Takahira Kogorō was a Japanese diplomat and ambassador to the United States from 1900 to 1909.
Wikipedia伊集院五郎
Name contains 五
Baron Ijūin Gorō was a Meiji-period career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“five”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 五 mean in Japanese?
五 means five.
How do you read 五?
On'yomi: ゴ (GO). Kun'yomi: いつ、いつ.つ (itsu, itsutsu).
How many strokes does 五 have?
五 has 4 strokes. Its radical is 二 (two).
Is 五 a good kanji for a tattoo?
五 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means five. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:five