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On'yomi
SHI
Kun'yomi
いくさ
ikusa

expert · teacher · master · model · exemplar · army (incl. counter) · war

Details

Strokes10
Frequency#563
Radicalcloth(3)

Stroke Order

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Strokes10

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of phonetic and mound. Leading army.

Symbolism

Teacher, master, doctor. Represents mentor.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • Imparting teachings

Anime & Manga

ブラック・ジャック

Black Jack(1973)

manga

Story of an unlicensed genius 'doctor.' Representative work of Osamu Tezuka.

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Games

ウィッチャー

The Witcher(2007)

PlayStation/PC

Developer: CD Projekt RED

Story of 'Witchers' (monster hunter masters).

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Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

反面教師

はんめんきょうし

bad example from which one can learn; good example of what not to do (esp. how not to behave); negative example; bad example from which one can learn

師資相承

ししそうしょう

generation-to-generation instruction from master to disciple; generation-to-generation instruction from master to disciple

Proverbs & Idioms

師を見て法を説くな

しをみてほうをとくな

Do not preach while watching the teacher

Understand your teacher's true meaning

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 師 mean in Japanese?

師 means expert, teacher, master, model, exemplar, army (incl. counter), war.

How do you read 師?

On'yomi: シ (SHI). Kun'yomi: いくさ (ikusa).

How many strokes does 師 have?

師 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 巾 (cloth).

Is 師 a good kanji for a tattoo?

Yes. 師 (expert, teacher, master, model, exemplar, army (incl. counter), war) has a clear positive meaning and no embarrassing alternate readings, making it a solid tattoo choice.

Explore by meaning:kanji for expert · kanji for master · kanji for model · kanji for war