Kanji
Kanji Foundations: Numbers 1–5
漢字基礎：一〜五
Elementary
~35 min
~35 min
I can recognise and use the kanji for one through five.
Can-do goal
I can recognise and use the kanji for one through five.
Learn kanji through words
Notice the shape and core meaning, then learn the reading used in the example word. A kanji may have other readings later.
| Kanji | Strokes | Target reading | Core meaning | Example word | Shape cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 1 | いち | one | 一年 いちねん — one year | One horizontal line represents one. |
| 二 | 2 | に | two | 二時 にじ — two o'clock | Two horizontal lines represent two. |
| 三 | 3 | さん | three | 三時 さんじ — three o'clock | Three horizontal lines represent three. |
| 四 | 5 | よん | four | 四 よん — four | The inner strokes sit inside an enclosure. |
| 五 | 4 | ご | five | 五月 ごがつ — May | Keep the crossing structure balanced. |
Practice sequence
- Say the example word.
- Identify the kanji inside it.
- Recall its core meaning.
- Type the character from memory.
- Review again on a later day.
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