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吉

On'yomi
キチ・キツ
KICHI / KITSU
Kun'yomi
よし
yoshi

good luck · joy · congratulations

Details

Strokes6
Frequency#711
Radical口mouth(3)

Description

Good fortune - good words spoken. The auspicious result on a shrine fortune slip, and lucky days.

Stroke Order

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Strokes6

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of samurai and mouth. Samurai speaking good words.

Symbolism

Lucky day, fortune, auspicious. Represents good things.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • — Filled with joy

Component Breakdown

吉=
士口

士 + mouth

Words & Expressions

Words written with 吉

不吉ふきつominous
吉兆きっちょうgood omen
吉報きっぽうgood news
英吉利イギリスuk
成吉思汗ジンギスカンjingisukan

Four-Character Compounds

石部金吉

いしべきんきち

man of incorruptible character

黄道吉日

おうどうきちにち

very auspicious day for all types of occasions

大安吉日

たいあんきちじつ

very auspicious day for all types of occasions (one of the six special days in the Japanese lunisolar calendar)

吉凶禍福

きっきょうかふく

good and bad fortune, and weal and woe

Proverbs & Idioms

吉凶は糾える縄の如し

きっきょうはあざなえるなわのごとし

Fortune and misfortune are like twisted rope

Good and bad luck alternate like strands in a rope

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

朝ぼらけ ありあけの月と 見るまでに 吉野の里に 降れる白雪

At first light I took it for the dawn moon — the white snow that has fallen on the village of Yoshino.

坂上是則Sakanoue no Korenori
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

み吉野の 山の秋風 さ夜ふけて ふるさと寒く 衣うつなり

Autumn wind off the mountains of Yoshino; the night deepens, the old village is cold, and someone is beating cloth.

参議雅経Sangi Masatsune
13th century

Related Figures & Stories

豊臣秀吉

Toyotomi Hideyoshi1536–1598

Name contains 吉

Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as Kinoshita Tōkichirō and Hashiba Hideyoshi , was a Japanese samurai and daimyō of the late Sengoku and…

Wikipedia

福澤諭吉

Fukuzawa Yukichi1835–1901

Name contains 吉

Fukuzawa Yukichi was a Japanese writer, educator, and philosopher who is regarded as one of the key figures of the Meiji era for his efforts to…

Wikipedia

徳川綱吉

Tokugawa Tsunayoshi1646–1709

Name contains 吉

Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was a Japanese samurai, daimyo and the fifth shōgun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan.

Wikipedia

吉田松陰

Yoshida Shōin1830–1859

Name contains 吉

Yoshida Shōin ɕoꜜː.iɴ], born Sugi Toranosuke ; September 20, 1830 – November 21, 1859), commonly named Torajirō , was one of Japan's most…

Wikipedia

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 吉 mean in Japanese?

吉 means good luck, joy, congratulations. Good fortune - good words spoken. The auspicious result on a shrine fortune slip, and lucky days.

How do you read 吉?

On'yomi: キチ、キツ (KICHI, KITSU). Kun'yomi: よし (yoshi).

How many strokes does 吉 have?

吉 has 6 strokes. Its radical is 口 (mouth).

Is 吉 a good kanji for a tattoo?

吉 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means good luck, joy, congratulations. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.

Explore by meaning:joy · congratulations