Skip to content
道Nihongo Path
坂

坂·slope

On-yomi
ハン
Kun-yomi
さか

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
坂さかslope, hill
坂道さかみちsloping road, hill road
上り坂のぼりざかuphill slope; things looking up
下り坂くだりざかdownhill slope; going downhill

Example sentences

  1. この坂はとても急だ。

    このさかはとてもきゅうだ。

    This slope is very steep.

  2. 毎朝、坂道を自転車で上る。

    まいあさ、さかみちをじてんしゃでのぼる。

    I ride my bike up the hill road every morning.

  3. 午後から天気は下り坂になるそうです。

    ごごからてんきはくだりざかになるそうです。

    They say the weather will turn worse from the afternoon.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Writing 阪 for 坂 outside place names like 大阪
  • Reading 坂道 as はんどう — it is さかみち

Memory aid

Picture it

Earth (土) that flips back on itself (反) — ground tilted into a climb.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 3 of 5

What does the kanji 坂 mean?