声
声·voice
- On-yomi
- セイショウ
- Kun-yomi
- こえ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 声 | こえ | voice |
| 大声 | おおごえ | loud voice |
| 小声 | こごえ | quiet voice, whisper |
| 声優 | せいゆう | voice actor |
Example sentences
母の声が聞こえます。
ははのこえがきこえます。
I can hear my mother's voice.
教室で大声を出さないでください。
きょうしつでおおごえをださないでください。
Please don't shout in the classroom.
兄は声優になりたいと言っています。
あにはせいゆうになりたいといっています。
My older brother says he wants to be a voice actor.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 大声 as *だいせい instead of おおごえ
- Using 音 for a person's voice — a human voice is 声, a thing's noise is 音
Memory aid
Picture it
A hanging stone chime struck to ring out — the shape stands for a sound that carries: a voice.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5
What does the kanji 声 mean?