Skip to content
道Nihongo Path
士

士·gentleman, man of standing, samurai, qualified professional

On-yomi
シ
Kun-yomi
さむらい

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
弁護士べんごしlawyer, attorney
博士はかせdoctor, PhD holder
武士ぶしsamurai, warrior
士気しきmorale

Example sentences

  1. 姉は弁護士として働いている。

    あねはべんごしとしてはたらいている。

    My older sister works as a lawyer.

  2. 武士の時代を描いた映画を見た。

    ぶしのじだいをえがいたえいがをみた。

    I watched a film depicting the age of the samurai.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 弁護士 as べんごじ — it stays unvoiced: べんごし
  • Writing 土 for 士 in 博士 and 弁護士 — check which horizontal stroke is longer

Memory aid

Picture it

A broad top stroke over a narrow one — a figure standing firm and upright. 士 names the person who holds a title: warrior, or today a licensed professional.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does the kanji 士 mean?