Meet 様 in お客様, 様子 and 模様. Connect each whole word and its reading to a real context.

The idea

様 has 14 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare お客様（おきゃくさま） with 様子（ようす）. Learn the reading with the whole word, not the character in isolation.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
お客様おきゃくさまA customer came to the shop.
様子ようすI am going to check on the child.
模様もようThe box has a floral pattern.

Examples

  • 店みせにお客きゃく様さまが来きました。A customer came to the shop.
  • 子こどもの様子ようすを見みに行いきます。I am going to check on the child.
  • 箱はこに花はなの模様もようがついています。The box has a floral pattern.
  • 会場かいじょうで皆様みなさまをお待まちしています。We look forward to seeing you all at the venue.
  • 今回こんかいも前回ぜんかいと同様どうようです。This time is the same as last time.
  • 多様たような意見いけんを聞ききます。I listen to a range of opinions.

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

Watch out

様（さま） is a respectful suffix for another person, more formal than さん; do not attach it to your own name. In 様子 it is part of a word and read よう. Compare 木 in 様 with 氵 in 洋.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of お客様 in hiragana.

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    おきゃくさま

    お客様 is read おきゃくさま. In context: A customer came to the shop.

  2. Write the reading of 様子 in hiragana.

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    ようす

    様子 is read ようす. In context: I am going to check on the child.

  3. Write the missing kanji: 模＿（もよう）.

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    様

    様 completes 模様, read もよう. In context: The box has a floral pattern.

Use it today

Write 様 three times using the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read お客様 and 様子 aloud, then check their readings and meanings.