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道Nihongo Path
副

副·vice-, assistant, secondary

On-yomi
フク
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
副社長ふくしゃちょうvice president of a company
副作用ふくさようside effect
副業ふくぎょうside job
副大統領ふくだいとうりょうvice president of a country

Example sentences

  1. この薬は副作用が少ない。

    このくすりはふくさようがすくない。

    This medicine has few side effects.

  2. 副社長が会議に出席します。

    ふくしゃちょうがかいぎにしゅっせきします。

    The vice president will attend the meeting.

  3. 週末は副業として写真を撮っている。

    しゅうまつはふくぎょうとしてしゃしんをとっている。

    On weekends I take photographs as a side job.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 副 as ふく and confusing it with 服 (clothes) or 復 (restore), all ふく
  • Writing 副作用 as 副作要

Memory aid

Picture it

A knife (刂) splitting one thing off the side of another — what is cut off is the secondary part.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 副 mean?