私
private · I · me
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of grain and private. One's own grain, private property.
Symbolism
Self, private, privately-run. First person pronoun for individual.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Aiming for the mountain peak
Component Breakdown
grain + 厶
Words & Expressions
Words written with 私
Four-Character Compounds
公平無私
こうへいむし
impartiality; fair play
滅私奉公
めっしほうこう
selfless devotion
則天去私
そくてんきょし
selfless devotion to justice
公私混同
こうしこんどう
mixing of public and private affairs; mixing business with personal affairs; mixing work and private matters
私利私欲
しりしよく
self-interest; selfish desire; greed
無私無偏
むしむへん
to think or act fairly without concern for one's own benefit
無私無欲
むしむよく
selflessness; unselfishness
Proverbs & Idioms
私情を挟むな
しじょうをはさむな
Don't let personal feelings interfere
Keep private emotions out of business
Anime & Manga
泣きたい私は猫をかぶる
A Whisker Away
A well-known work with 私 in its Japanese title.
私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!
WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!
A well-known work with 私 in its Japanese title.
私がモテてどうすんだ
Kiss Him, Not Me
A well-known work with 私 in its Japanese title.
悪役令嬢レベル99 ～私は裏ボスですが魔王ではありません～
Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord
A well-known work with 私 in its Japanese title.
私、能力は平均値でって言ったよね！
Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!
A well-known work with 私 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 私 mean in Japanese?
私 means private, I, me.
How do you read 私?
On'yomi: シ (SHI). Kun'yomi: わたくし、わたし (watakushi, watashi).
How many strokes does 私 have?
私 has 7 strokes. Its radical is 禾 (grain).
Is 私 a good kanji for a tattoo?
私 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means private, I, me. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.