昨
昨·yesterday, last, previous
- On-yomi
- サク
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 昨日 | きのう | yesterday |
| 昨年 | さくねん | last year (formal) |
| 昨夜 | さくや | last night |
| 一昨日 | おととい | the day before yesterday |
Example sentences
昨日は雨でした。
きのうはあめでした。
It rained yesterday.
昨年、日本に引っ越しました。
さくねん、にほんにひっこしました。
I moved to Japan last year.
昨夜はよく眠れなかった。
さくやはよくねむれなかった。
I couldn't sleep well last night.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 昨作作 (make) shares 乍 on the right but has a person 亻 on the left; 昨 has the sun 日.
- 昨咋咋 shares the same right side with 口 on the left.
Common mistakes
- Reading 昨日 as *さくじつ in conversation — さくじつ is formal, everyday speech is きのう
- 昨年 is the formal word; in casual speech say 去年
Memory aid
Picture it
The sun (日) as it was a moment ago — the day just gone.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5
What does the kanji 昨 mean?