Part 7: 私名家父母男女子生友

私 : シ、わたくし

	Meaning: I Shape: 禾 + ム The left part is a commonly used component called "nogihen". The right part is like Katakana ム.

Meaning: I

Shape: 禾 + ム

The left part is a commonly used component called "nogihen".
The right part is like Katakana ム.

Click button to see the stroke order animation.

Word	Reading	Meaning	Class

私	わたし	I	n
私は日本人です。<I am Japanese.>

私	わたくし	I	n
Very polite way of saying "I". It is used at the formal situation.

名 : ミョウ、メイ、な

	Meaning: name Shape: 夕 + 口. Identifying oneself by speach(口) in the dark(夕). 夕 and 口 should be touched at the right place. Don't mix up with 各.

Meaning: name

Shape: 夕 + 口. Identifying oneself by speach(口) in the dark(夕).

夕 and 口 should be touched at the right place.
Don't mix up with 各.

名前	なまえ	name	n

[平仮]名	ひらがな	Hiragana alphabet	n

[片仮]名	かたかな	Katakana alphabet	n

[有]名	ゆうめい	famous	n, na-adj
かのじょは　有名になりました。<She became famous.> By adding な, it functions as adjective. It is called na-adjective<ナ形容詞>. かのじょは、有名な　いしゃです。<She is a famous doctor.>

家 : カ、ケ、いえ、や

	Meaning: house Shape: Covering pigs （豚) or valuable things by the roof (ukanmuri). The upper part is ukanmuri (ウ). Look closely the shape of the lower part.

Meaning: house

Shape: Covering pigs （豚) or valuable things by the roof (ukanmuri).

The upper part is ukanmuri (ウ).
Look closely the shape of the lower part.

家	いえ	house	n

家[族]	かぞく	family	n

家[庭]	かてい	household, home	n

父 : フ、ちち

	Meaning: father Shape: A man holding an ax. Maintain the balance of left and right. Two upper lines should be tilted properly.

Meaning: father

Shape: A man holding an ax.

Maintain the balance of left and right.
Two upper lines should be tilted properly.

父	ちち	father	n
Used to refer one's own father. 私の父は、エジプト人です。<My father is Egyptian.>

お父さん	おとうさん	father	n
Used to refer someone's father. あなたのお父さんは、先生ですか。<Is your father a teacher?>

[伯]父さん	おじさん	uncle	n
Elder brother of one's father or mother.

[叔]父さん	おじさん	uncle	n
Younger brother of one's father or mother.

母 : ボ、はは

	Meaning: mother Shape: A woman with nipples. Look closely how the first two strokes are tilted, curved and crossed. The last stroke strikes through the two vertical lines. Don't mix up with the lower part of 毎.

Meaning: mother

Shape: A woman with nipples.

Look closely how the first two strokes are tilted, curved and crossed.
The last stroke strikes through the two vertical lines.
Don't mix up with the lower part of 毎.

母	はは	mother	n
Used to refer one's own mother.

お母さん	おかあさん	mother	n
Used to refer someone's mother.

[伯]母さん	おばさん	aunt	n
Elder sister of one's father or mother.

[叔]母さん	げんき	aunt	n
Younger sister of one's father or mother.

男ダン、ナン、おとこ

	Meaning: man Shape: 田 + 力. Power(力) on the rice field(田). Try to create 4 equal squares in the upper part. The lower part is like Katakana カ. The shape is vertically compressed.

Meaning: man

Shape: 田 + 力. Power(力) on the rice field(田).

Try to create 4 equal squares in the upper part.
The lower part is like Katakana カ. The shape is vertically compressed.

男	おとこ	man	n

男の子	おとこのこ	boy	n

女 : ジョ、ニョ、ニョウ、おんな、め

	Meaning: woman Shape: Symbolizing the shape of a woman. Look closely how lines are tilted, curved and crossed. The 1st and the 2nd strokes should be crossed at the right place.

Meaning: woman

Shape: Symbolizing the shape of a woman.

Look closely how lines are tilted, curved and crossed.
The 1st and the 2nd strokes should be crossed at the right place.

女	おんな	woman	n

女の子	おんなのこ	girl	n

子 : シ、ス、こ

	Meaning: child Shape: Symbolizing the shape of a little child. The 1st and the 2nd strokes are touched. The 2nd stroke is slightly curved. Don't mix up with 干 and 千.

Meaning: child

Shape: Symbolizing the shape of a little child.

The 1st and the 2nd strokes are touched.
The 2nd stroke is slightly curved.
Don't mix up with 干 and 千.

子[供]	こども	child	n

お[菓]子	おかし	confectionery	n

[帽]子	ぼうし	hat, cap	n

生 : ショウ、セイ、い(きる)、う(まれる)、お(う)、き、なま、は(える)

	Meaning: to live, to be born Shape: Symbolizing a new sprout on the ground. The 1st stroke is tilted and slightly curved. The 2nd and the 3rd strokes are crossed.

Meaning: to live, to be born

Shape: Symbolizing a new sprout on the ground.

The 1st stroke is tilted and slightly curved.
The 2nd and the 3rd strokes are crossed.

生まれる	うまれる	to be born	v
来月、子どもが生まれます。<A child will be born in the next month.>

[誕]生日	たんじょうび	birthday	n

先生	せんせい	teacher	n

生[徒]	せいと	student	n
In general, it is used for junior-high and high school students.
[学]生	がくせい	student	n
In general, it is used for college students. In some cases, it means students of all authorized schools. Example: 学生割引(がくせいわりびき)<student discount>

[留学]生	りゅうがくせい	foreign student	n

友 : ユウ、とも

	Meaning: friend Start the 3rd stroke at the right place. Look closely how the lines are tilted and curved. Don't mix up with 支.

Meaning: friend

Start the 3rd stroke at the right place.
Look closely how the lines are tilted and curved.
Don't mix up with 支.

						友[達]
						ともだち
						friend
						n
					

Writing Practice

Printable writing practice sheet is available at Kanji Writing Practice page.

Tips for Beautiful Handwriting (2)

3 types of endings

There are basically 3 ways of ending a stroke - tome (stop), harai (tapered) and hane (turning up).

To identify which type, check with the Kanji font used in the stroke order animation.

When you write with a pen, the difference cannot be seen so much. But just keep the following points in mind.

	tome End the stroke with pressure (on the paper). This usually happens for straight lines.
	harai Less and less pressure. Pen tip should be up in the air when finished. This usually happens for curved lines.
	hane Stop at the bottom with pressure, then quickly release the pen tip to the upper left or to the starting position of the next stroke.

tome

End the stroke with pressure (on the paper).

This usually happens for straight lines.

harai

Less and less pressure. Pen tip should be up in the air when finished. This usually happens for curved lines.

hane

Stop at the bottom with pressure, then quickly release the pen tip to the upper left or to the starting position of the next stroke.

For hane, try not to draw two separate lines. The last part should not be too long.

Many people in Japan use fude pen (brush pen) for the handwriting practice. This pen has a soft tip shaped like a brush. You can experience some taste of calligraphy with it. It is recommended to get one if possible.