片
片·one of a pair, fragment, one-sided
- On-yomi
- ヘン
- Kun-yomi
- かた
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 片付ける | かたづける | to tidy up, to put away |
| 片方 | かたほう | one side, one of a pair |
| 片道 | かたみち | one way (trip) |
| 破片 | はへん | fragment, shard |
Example sentences
部屋を片付けてください。
へやをかたづけてください。
Please tidy up the room.
靴下の片方が見つからない。
くつしたのかたほうがみつからない。
I can't find one of my socks.
片道の切符を二枚買った。
かたみちのきっぷをにまいかった。
I bought two one-way tickets.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 片付ける as へんづける instead of かたづける
- Reading 破片 as はかた instead of はへん
Memory aid
Picture it
木 sliced down the middle: 片 is the right-hand half of the tree, one piece of what used to be a pair.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 片道かたみちone way
- 片付くかたづくto be tidied, to be settled
- 片仮名かたかなkatakana (the angular Japanese syllabary)
- 破片はへんfragment, splinter, broken piece, shard
- 片寄るかたよるto lean to one side, to be lopsided; to be unbalanced, to be biased
- 片付けるかたづけるto tidy up, put away
- 片付けかたづけtidying up; clearing away; putting in order
- 鉄片てっぺんpiece of iron; iron fragment; iron scrap
- 片思いかたおもいunrequited love; one-sided love
- 片言かたことbroken speech; halting, fragmentary speech (of a learner or small child)
Quick check
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What does the kanji 片 mean?