Meet 才 in words about ability and in expressions of age. Learn each reading with its complete word.

The idea

才 has three strokes and is read さい in 才能（さいのう） and 天才（てんさい）. It also appears as さい after a number for age, as in 十才（じゅっさい）. Follow the linked stroke-order diagram.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingMeaning in context
才能さいのうShe has a talent for music.
天才てんさいHe is a genius at mathematics.
十才じゅっさいMy younger sister is ten years old.
人材じんざいThe team is looking for talented people.

Examples

  • 彼女かのじょには音楽おんがくの才能さいのうがあります。She has a talent for music.
  • 彼かれは数学すうがくの天才てんさいです。He is a genius at mathematics.
  • 妹いもうとは十才じゅっさいです。My younger sister is ten years old.
  • この子こは来月らいげつ三才さんさいになります。This child will turn three next month.
  • チームは優秀ゆうしゅうな人材じんざいを探さがしています。The team is looking for talented people.
  • 彼女かのじょにはたくさんの才能さいのうがあります。She has many talents.

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

Watch out

才 can stand for 歳 in age expressions, but 才能 means talent, not age. Do not confuse 才 with 材, which appears in 人材（じんざい）; the latter means personnel or talented people.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 才能 in hiragana.

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    さいのう

    才能 is さいのう: it means talent or ability, as in a talent for music.

  2. Write the reading of 天才 in hiragana.

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    てんさい

    天才 is てんさい: a genius, as in a genius at mathematics.

  3. Choose the missing kanji for age: 十＿（じゅっさい）［才／材］.

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    才

    才 completes 十才（じゅっさい）, ten years old. 材 is used in 人材, not this age expression.

Use it today

Write 才 in stroke order, then cover the readings and read 才能 and 天才. Make a sentence using one of them.