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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This is great.