正
correct · justice · righteous · 10**40
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
top-bottom: 一 + 止
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of one and stop. Stopping toward one goal.
Symbolism
Correct, justice, New Year. Represents straightness and legitimacy.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Ice crystals
Seasonal
"New Year's month" is Japan's largest seasonal event. Celebrating the new year's start, it concentrates many seasonal traditions: first shrine visit, osechi, New Year cards.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
厳正中立
げんせいちゅうりつ
strict neutrality; strict neutrality
公明正大
こうめいせいだい
fair; just and upright; open and honest; fair
綱紀粛正
こうきしゅくせい
enforcement of official discipline; tightening of discipline; eliminating corruption among government officials; enforcement of official discipline
正真正銘
しょうしんしょうめい
genuine; authentic; true; genuine
正当防衛
せいとうぼうえい
legitimate self-defence; legitimate self-defense; legitimate self-defence
正々堂々
せいせいどうどう
fair and square; open and aboveboard; bold and forthright; fair and square
破邪顕正
はじゃけんしょう
crushing evil and spreading the truth; crushing evil and spreading the truth
品行方正
ひんこうほうせい
irreproachable conduct; good conduct; high morals; irreproachable conduct
悪人正機
あくにんしょうき
The evil persons are the right object of Amida's salvation; The evil persons have the unique opportunity to go to heaven; The evil persons are the right object of Amida's salvation
正邪曲直
せいじゃきょくちょく
right and wrong; right or wrong; right and wrong
臨終正念
りんじゅうしょうねん
holding the proper state of mindfulness at the moment of death; holding the proper state of mindfulness at the moment of death
賢良方正
けんりょうほうせい
wise and virtuous; good and able men; wise and virtuous
正勝吾勝
まさかつあがつ
true victory is victory over oneself; true victory is victory over oneself
Proverbs & Idioms
正直者が馬鹿を見る
しょうじきものがばかをみる
Honest folks often lose out
Being honest sometimes leads to disadvantage
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 正 mean in Japanese?
正 means correct, justice, righteous, 10**40.
How do you read 正?
On'yomi: セイ、ショウ (SEI, SHOU). Kun'yomi: ただ.しい、ただ.す、まさ、まさ.に (tadashii, tadasu, masa, masani).
How many strokes does 正 have?
正 has 5 strokes. Its radical is 止 (stop).
Is 正 a good kanji for a tattoo?
Yes. 正 (correct, justice, righteous, 10**40) has a clear positive meaning and no embarrassing alternate readings, making it a solid tattoo choice.
Explore by meaning:kanji for correct · kanji for justice · kanji for righteous