Directions in Japanese
A quick kanji lesson.
Here are a few kanji showing various directions in Japanese. Learn these useful characters when asking for directions or looking at a map. Only the most used readings are given.
上
On: ジョウ
Kun: うえ
Meaning: up; above
- 上手(じょうず) skilled; good at; clever
- 上着(うわぎ) coat; outer garment
- その上(うえ) in addition; furthermore
下
On: ゲ
Kun: した
Meaning: down; below
- 靴下(くつした) socks [lit. shoes under]
- 地下(ちか) underground; basement
- 年下(としした) junior; younger; young
左
On: サ
Kun: ひだり
Meaning: left
- 左手(ひだりて) left hand
- 左足(ひだりあし) left leg
- 机の左 (つくえ ひだり )to the left of the desk
右
On: ユウ
Kun: みぎ
Meaning: right
- 右目(みぎめ) right eye
- 右(みぎ)ページ right page (of a book)
- 右手(みぎて) right hand
前
On: ゼン
Kun: まえ
Meaning: before; in front; previous
- 名前(なまえ) name
- 前書(まえが)き preface [lit. before the writing]
- 二年前(ふたねんまえ) two years ago
後
On: ゴ
Kun: うし・ろ
Meaning: behind; after
- 最後(さいご) the last; the end; conclusion
- 後(うし)ろ behind
- 後書(あとが)き postscript; afterword [lit. after the writing]
東
On: トウ
Kun: ひがし
Meaning: east
- 中東(ちゅうとう) the Middle East
- 東(ひがし)アジア East Asia
- 東京 (とうきょう )Tokyo
You may recognize the kanji for “east” 東 higashi in Tokyo
東京 toukyou. This is because Tokyo means “east capital.”
Nearly all kanji have at least two readings. In this case, 東 can be pronounced higashi or tou. The first, higashi, is the native Japanese pronunciation, or kun reading. Tou is the Chinese or on reading.
In general, when a kanji character is paired with another kanji, you use the on reading as in toukyou.
西
On: セイ
Kun: にし
Meaning: west
- 西口(にしぐち) west entrance
- 関西(かんさい) Osaka and surrounding area; Kansai
- 西(にし)ドイツ (historical) West Germany
- 大西洋(たいせいよう) the Atlantic
南
On: ナン
Kun: みなみ
Meaning: south
- 東南(とうなん)アジア Southeast Asia
- 南極(なんきょく) the South Pole; Antarctic
- 南米(なんべい) South America
北
On: ホク
Kun: きた
Meaning: north
- 北海道(ほっかいどう) Hokkaido (most northern part of Japan)
- 北(きた)アメリカ North America
- 北京(ぺきん) Beijing (China)
- 南北戦争(なんぼくせんそう) the (US) Civil War
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This is great.