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道Nihongo Path
津

津·harbor, ferry crossing

On-yomi
シン
Kun-yomi
つ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

9 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
津波つなみtsunami
津々浦々つつうらうらevery corner of the land
興味津々きょうみしんしんbrimming with curiosity
唐津からつKaratsu (city in Saga)

Example sentences

  1. 地震のあと津波の警報が出た。

    じしんのあとつなみのけいほうがでた。

    A tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake.

  2. 子どもたちは興味津々で実験を見つめていた。

    こどもたちはきょうみしんしんでじっけんをみつめていた。

    The children watched the experiment full of curiosity.

  3. その噂は津々浦々に広まった。

    そのうわさはつつうらうらにひろまった。

    The rumor spread to every corner of the land.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 興味津々 as きょうみつつ — in this idiom 津 is しん
  • Assuming 津 always means tsunami; by itself it is an old word for a port or ferry landing, and survives mostly in place names

Memory aid

Picture it

Water 氵 beside the brush-in-hand 聿: the harbour clerk writing down every boat that lands — a place where water meets record-keeping.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 津 mean?