性
性·nature, gender, -ity
- On-yomi
- セイショウ
- Kun-yomi
- none
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 性格 | せいかく | personality, character |
| 女性 | じょせい | woman, female |
| 男性 | だんせい | man, male |
| 性質 | せいしつ | nature, properties |
Example sentences
彼女は明るい性格です。
かのじょはあかるいせいかくです。
She has a cheerful personality.
この会社は女性の社員が多いです。
このかいしゃはじょせいのしゃいんがおおいです。
This company has a lot of female employees.
男性用のトイレは二階です。
だんせいようのといれはにかいです。
The men's toilet is on the second floor.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- As a suffix 性 means '-ness/-ity': 安全性 is 'safety (as a property)', not a gender
- 女性・男性 are the neutral written words; 女の人・男の人 are the spoken equivalents
Memory aid
Picture it
The heart radical (忄) beside 生 (life) — the heart you were born with is your nature.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 性格せいかくpersonality
- 可能性かのうせいpossibility
- 必要性ひつようせいnecessity
- 重要性じゅうようせいimportance
- 性せいsex, gender; nature, property, -ness, -ity
- 男性だんせいmale, man
- 女性じょせいfemale, woman
- 性質せいしつnature, property
- 性能せいのうperformance, capability
- 生物多様性せいぶつたようせいbiodiversity
- 気性きしょうtemper, nature (of a person)
- 中性ちゅうせいneutral (chemistry); neuter gender; neutral in character
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5
What does the kanji 性 mean?