Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of roof and child. Raising child at home, character.
Symbolism
Character, kanji, font. Basic unit of writing system.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Drawing a sword
Component Breakdown
top-bottom: roof + child
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
一字千金
いちじせんきん
word of great value
十字砲火
じゅうじほうか
cross fire
真一文字
まいちもんじ
straight line; beeline
一字一句
いちじいっく
word for word; verbatim; literally
不立文字
ふりゅうもんじ
Buddhist revelation through intuitive discernment; Spiritual awakening cannot be experienced with words and letters; Spiritual enlightenment can be attained only by means of communion of mind with mind (Zen Buddhism)
永字八法
えいじはっぽう
Eight Principles of Yong; principles for writing the eight basic brush strokes in Chinese characters
苗字帯刀
みょうじたいとう
right to bear a surname and to wear a sword (during the Edo period)
Proverbs & Idioms
字は人なり
じはひとなり
Handwriting is the person
Writing reveals character
Anime & Manga
頭文字[イニシャル]D
Initial D 1st Stage
A well-known work with 字 in its Japanese title.
天才王子の赤字国家再生術
The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt
A well-known work with 字 in its Japanese title.
頭文字D
Initial D
A well-known work with 字 in its Japanese title.
金色の文字使い ―勇者四人に巻き込まれたユニークチート―
Konjiki no Word Master: Yuusha Yonin ni Makikomareta Unique Cheat
A well-known work with 字 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
“character”
“letter”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 字 mean in Japanese?
字 means character, letter, word, section of village.
How do you read 字?
On'yomi: ジ (JI). Kun'yomi: あざ、あざな、-な (aza, azana, na).
How many strokes does 字 have?
字 has 6 strokes. Its radical is 子 (child).
Is 字 a good kanji for a tattoo?
字 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means character, letter, word, section of village. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.