JLPT N4 · 5 strokes
Kanji 主: "lord, chief, master"
The kanji 主 means "lord, chief, master, main thing, principal". It is written with 5 strokes and belongs to JLPT level N4, read シュ, ス, シュウ in on'yomi and ぬし, おも, あるじ in kun'yomi.
Stroke order
Strokes are written in the order of the numbers. The order is not decorative: it is what gives the character its balance, and it is also how handwriting search works in Japanese dictionaries.
Readings
On'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading)
シュスシュウ
Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading)
ぬしおもあるじ
In a kun'yomi reading, the dot separates the kanji from its okurigana: かた.る is read かたる and written 語る. A hyphen marks a bound position, like -び in 日.
At a glance
| Meaning | lord, chief, master, main thing, principal |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 5 |
| JLPT level | N4 |
| Taught in Japan | grade 3 |
| Frequency rank | 95 of 2,501 |
Common words with 主
The most frequent words using this kanji, most common first, with furigana readings. Click one to open it in the reader.
- 主head (of a household, etc.); leader; master · owner; proprietor; proprietress
- 主人head (of a household); proprietor (of a store); proprietress; landlord · one's husband
- 主張claim; insistence; assertion; advocacy
- 持ち主owner; proprietor; possessor (e.g. of talent, beauty, etc.)
- 主にmainly; primarily; mostly; largely
- 主人公protagonist; main character; hero; heroine · head (of a household); proprietor (of a store)
- 店主patron de boutique, commerçant
- 主役leading part; leading actor; leading actress
- 主義doctrine; rule; principle; -ism
- 主なchief; main; principal; important
- 主要chief; main; principal; major
- 主催sponsorship (i.e. conducting under one's auspices); promotion; organizing; organising
Keep going
Read real Japanese, not lists
A kanji list does not teach you to read. KanjiYome puts furigana and a dictionary on any Japanese text, offline, and turns the words you meet into review cards.