Japanese kanji 子: child

The idea

子 has 3 strokes. Follow the order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 子ども（こども）, “child”, with 女の子（おんなのこ）, “girl”. A character may be read differently from word to word; learn each word as a unit.

Examples

• 子こどもは土つちで遊あそびます。The child plays in the soil.
• 子こどもが今いま、果物くだものを食たべています。A child is eating fruit now.
• 女おんなの子こが本ほんを読よんでいます。The girl is reading a book.
• 男おとこの子こが公園こうえんで遊あそんでいます。The boy is playing in the park.
• 小ちいさい子犬こいぬが寝ねています。A small puppy is sleeping.
• 私わたしの子こどもは学校がっこうへ行いきます。My child goes to school.
• 男子だんしは三人さんにんです。There are three boys.

Watch out

子ども means child, while 子犬 means puppy: 子 can also refer to the young of an animal. Compare the shape of 子 with 了; notice how their components differ.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 子ども (child) in hiragana.

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   こども

   子ども is read こども and means “child”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

2. Write the reading of 女の子 (girl) in hiragana.

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   おんなのこ

   女の子 is read おんなのこ and means “girl”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: 男の＿（おとこのこ）.

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   子

   子 completes 男の子（おとこのこ）, meaning “boy”.

4. Which word means “girl”? Write the whole word using kanji: 女の子 or 男の子.

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   女の子

   女の子 is read おんなのこ and means “girl”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word. 男の子 instead means “boy”.

Use it today

Write 子 three times following the linked stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 子ども and 女の子 aloud, and then check their readings and meanings.