Meet 紹 in words used to introduce people, things and yourself.

The idea

紹 has 11 strokes and the reading しょう in 紹介. Learn 紹介（しょうかい）, 自己紹介（じこしょうかい） and 紹介状（しょうかいじょう） as complete words; use the linked diagram for stroke order.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingMeaning
紹介しょうかいintroduction
自己紹介じこしょうかいself-introduction
紹介状しょうかいじょうreferral letter

Examples

  • 友人ゆうじんに先生せんせいを紹介しょうかいします。I will introduce my teacher to a friend.
  • 自己紹介じこしょうかいをお願ねがいします。Please introduce yourself.
  • この本ほんを友達ともだちに紹介しょうかいしました。I introduced this book to a friend.
  • 新あたらしい店みせが雑誌ざっしで紹介しょうかいされています。A new shop is featured in a magazine.
  • 先輩せんぱいに仕事しごとを紹介しょうかいしてもらいました。A senior colleague introduced me to a job.
  • 紹介状しょうかいじょうを病院びょういんに持もっていきます。I will take the referral letter to the hospital.

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

Watch out

紹介 can introduce a person, describe a book or refer someone for a job. に marks the recipient and を marks what is introduced; 招 has a different left component.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 紹介 in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    しょうかい

    紹介 is しょうかい: it means an introduction or referral. Notice the long しょう.

  2. Write the reading of 自己紹介 in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    じこしょうかい

    自己紹介 is じこしょうかい: 自己 means oneself, so the compound is a self-introduction.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿介（しょうかい）［紹／招］.

    Show answer or example answer

    紹

    紹 completes 紹介. Its thread component 糸 distinguishes it from 招.

Use it today

Write 紹 using the diagram, then cover the table and read the three words. Introduce a book to a friend in a sentence.