祖
祖·ancestor, grandparent, founder
- On-yomi
- ソ
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 祖父 | そふ | grandfather (one's own) |
| 祖母 | そぼ | grandmother (one's own) |
| 祖先 | そせん | ancestors |
| 祖国 | そこく | homeland, fatherland |
Example sentences
祖父は毎朝散歩します。
そふはまいあささんぽします。
My grandfather takes a walk every morning.
夏休みに祖母の家へ行きました。
なつやすみにそぼのいえへいきました。
I went to my grandmother's house during the summer holidays.
この村には祖先のお墓があります。
このむらにはそせんのおはかがあります。
The graves of our ancestors are in this village.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Using 祖父 / 祖母 for someone else's grandparents — for those, say おじいさん / おばあさん
- Saying 祖父 out loud to your own grandfather; you call him おじいちゃん and use 祖父 only when talking about him
Memory aid
Picture it
The altar radical 礻 beside 且 (piled up) — generations stacked up in front of the family shrine: the ancestors.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 祖 mean?