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道Nihongo Path
君

君·mister, you, ruler

On-yomi
くん
Kun-yomi
きみ-ぎみ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

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

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
君きみyou (familiar, used downward or between close friends)
田中君たなかくんTanaka (suffix for a junior or a boy)
君主くんしゅmonarch, sovereign
諸君しょくんeveryone, gentlemen (formal address)

Example sentences

  1. 君の意見も聞かせてください。

    きみのいけんもきかせてください。

    Let me hear your opinion too.

  2. 山田君はまだ来ていません。

    やまだくんはまだきていません。

    Yamada hasn't arrived yet.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Using 君 (きみ) to a boss or teacher — it sounds down-talking; use the person's name
  • Reading the name suffix 君 as きみ; after a name it is くん

Memory aid

Picture it

A hand holding a staff over a mouth 口: the one who gives the orders — a lord, and by extension the 'you' a lord uses.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 君 mean?