Japanese kanji 事: matter; event

The idea

Kanji can have Japanese-origin readings (kun) and readings borrowed through Chinese (on). Compare 事 (こと) and 仕事 (しごと). 事 has 8 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram for their order.

Examples

• 大切たいせつな事ことを話はなします。I will talk about something important.
• その事ことは後あとで決きめましょう。Let’s decide that matter later.
• 仕事しごとは五時ごじに終おわります。Work finishes at five.
• 母ははは仕事しごとが忙いそがしいです。My mother is busy with work.
• 食事しょくじの前まえに手てを洗あらいます。I wash my hands before a meal.
• 一緒いっしょに食事しょくじをしませんか。Would you like to eat together?

Watch out

事 (こと) means matter; event; 仕事 (しごと) means work; job. Learn the reading with the whole word. 事 often concerns an event or matter; 物 often refers to a thing or object. Compare the indicated parts of 事 and 書: 亅 and 日.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 事 in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   こと

   事 is read こと and means matter; event. Remember the reading of the whole word.

2. Write the reading of 仕事 in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   しごと

   仕事 is read しごと and means work; job. Remember the reading of the whole word.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: 食＿（しょくじ）.

   Show answer or example answer

   事

   事 completes 食事, read しょくじ; the completed word means meal.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 事 from memory, and read 事 and 仕事 aloud. Check their readings and meanings.