JLPT N1 · 3 strokes
Kanji 巳: "sign of the snake or serpent, 9-11AM, sixth sign of Chinese zodiac"
The kanji 巳 means "sign of the snake or serpent, 9-11AM, sixth sign of Chinese zodiac". It is written with 3 strokes and belongs to JLPT level N1, read シ in on'yomi and み 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
Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading)
み
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 | sign of the snake or serpent, 9-11AM, sixth sign of Chinese zodiac |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 3 |
| JLPT level | N1 |
| Taught in Japan | secondary school |
| Frequency rank | 2142 of 2,501 |
Common words with 巳
The most frequent words using this kanji, most common first, with furigana readings. Click one to open it in the reader.
- 辰巳southeast
- 巳the Snake (sixth sign of the Chinese zodiac); the Serpent · hour of the Snake (around 10am, 9-11am, or 10am-12 noon)
- 上巳Doll's Festival (March 3); Girls' Festival; Peach Festival
- 巳年year of the Snake
- 乙巳Wood Snake (42nd term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1905, 1965, 2025)
- 癸巳Water Snake (30th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1953, 2013, 2073)
- 辛巳Metal Snake (18th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1941, 2001, 2061)
- 己巳Earth Snake (6th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1929, 1989, 2049)
- 丁巳Fire Snake (54th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1917, 1977, 2037)
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