Recognise 呼 in complete Japanese words. These examples show calling and breathing in context.

The idea

呼 has 8 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 呼ぶ（よぶ） with 呼吸（こきゅう）: learn readings with whole words. N3 is an editorial estimate, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
呼ぶよぶI call out my friend’s name.
呼吸こきゅうI breathe slowly.
呼んでよんでPlease call a station attendant.
呼びますよびますI will call a taxi here.

Examples

  • 友達ともだちの名前なまえを呼よびます。I call out my friend’s name.
  • ゆっくり呼吸こきゅうします。I breathe slowly.
  • 駅員えきいんを呼よんでください。Please call a station attendant.
  • タクシーをここに呼よびます。I will call a taxi here.
  • 彼かれは私わたしを先生せんせいと呼よびます。He calls me “teacher”.
  • 子こどもが母親ははおやを呼よんでいます。The child is calling for their mother.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

呼ぶ（よぶ） means to call or summon; 読む（よむ） means to read. Both begin with よ, but their final sounds and kanji differ. 呼吸（こきゅう） uses the reading こ. Compare 呼 with 和: a shared component does not make them interchangeable.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 呼ぶ in hiragana.

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    よぶ

    呼ぶ is read よぶ. In context: I call out my friend’s name.

  2. Write the reading of 呼吸 in hiragana.

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    こきゅう

    呼吸 is read こきゅう. In context: I breathe slowly.

  3. Write this lesson’s kanji in the blank: ＿ぶ（よぶ）.

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    呼

    呼 completes 呼ぶ, read よぶ. In context: I call out my friend’s name.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 呼 from memory, and read 呼ぶ and 呼吸 aloud. Then check the examples and make a sentence of your own.