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道Nihongo Path
畳

畳·tatami, fold, pile up

On-yomi
ジョウ
Kun-yomi
たたみたた(む)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
畳たたみtatami mat
畳むたたむto fold (up)
六畳ろくじょうsix-mat (room size)
重畳ちょうじょうpiled one upon another

Example sentences

  1. 洗濯物を畳んでしまった。

    せんたくものをたたんでしまった。

    I folded the laundry and put it away.

  2. 畳の部屋はいい匂いがする。

    たたみのへやはいいにおいがする。

    A tatami room has a lovely smell.

  3. この部屋は六畳ほどの広さだ。

    このへやはろくじょうほどのひろさだ。

    This room is about six mats in size.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading room sizes as たたみ: 六畳 is ろくじょう, not ろくたたみ
  • 店を畳む means to close down a business, not literally to fold a shop

Memory aid

Picture it

A field 田 stacked over layers below: mats and cloth laid one on top of another — folding and piling up.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 畳 mean?