寂
寂·loneliness, quietly, mellow
- On-yomi
- じゃくせき
- Kun-yomi
- さびさび.しいさび.れるさみ.しい
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寂しい | さびしい | lonely, lonesome |
| 静寂 | せいじゃく | silence, stillness |
| 寂れる | さびれる | to decline, to become deserted |
| 寂 | さび | patina, the quiet beauty of age |
Example sentences
一人暮らしは少し寂しい。
ひとりぐらしはすこしさびしい。
Living alone is a little lonely.
夜の森は静寂に包まれていた。
よるのもりはせいじゃくにつつまれていた。
The night forest was wrapped in silence.
駅前の商店街はすっかり寂れてしまった。
えきまえのしょうてんがいはすっかりさびれてしまった。
The shopping street by the station has become quite deserted.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- 寂しい may be read さびしい or さみしい; さびしい is the standard written form.
- 静寂 is せいじゃく, using じゃく rather than せき.
Memory aid
Picture it
A roof 宀 over 叔: a house with hardly anyone left under it — quiet, and lonely.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 寂 mean?