松
松·pine
- On-yomi
- ショウ
- Kun-yomi
- まつ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 松 | まつ | pine tree |
| 松林 | まつばやし | pine grove |
| 門松 | かどまつ | New Year pine decoration |
| 松竹梅 | しょうちくばい | pine, bamboo and plum (three grades) |
Example sentences
庭に大きな松がある。
にわにおおきなまつがある。
There is a big pine tree in the garden.
海沿いの松林を歩いた。
うみぞいのまつばやしをあるいた。
I walked through the pine grove along the coast.
正月には門松を飾ります。
しょうがつにはかどまつをかざります。
We display New Year pine decorations at New Year.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 門松 as もんまつ — it is かどまつ
- Reading 松竹梅 as まつたけうめ when it names a set of three grades; there it is しょうちくばい
Memory aid
Picture it
A tree (木) that belongs to everyone (公) — the pine standing at the public gate.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 松 mean?