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道Nihongo Path
序

序·preface, beginning, order, sequence

On-yomi
ジョ
Kun-yomi
つい(で)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
順序じゅんじょorder, sequence
秩序ちつじょorder (social), discipline
序列じょれつranking, hierarchy
序論じょろんintroduction (of a paper)

Example sentences

  1. 順序よく並んでください。

    じゅんじょよくならんでください。

    Please line up in order.

  2. 社会の秩序を守ることが大切だ。

    しゃかいのちつじょをまもることがたいせつだ。

    It is important to maintain social order.

  3. 論文の序論を書き直した。

    ろんぶんのじょろんをかきなおした。

    I rewrote the introduction to my paper.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • ついで meaning 'while you're at it' is normally written 序で only in older text — modern writing uses kana
  • Reading 秩序 as ちっじょ — it is ちつじょ

Memory aid

Picture it

广 (a building's eaves) over 予 (beforehand): the entrance hall you pass through before the rooms — the preface, and the order things come in.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 序 mean?