Explore 将 in words about the future, leadership and a traditional board game. Learn each reading together with its word.

The idea

将 has 10 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Its common reading is しょう, as in 将来, 将軍 and 将棋. In 大将 it is read しょう after たい.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
将来しょうらいI want to work abroad in the future.
将軍しょうぐんThe general led the army.
将棋しょうぎI play shogi with my grandfather on Sundays.

Examples

  • 将来しょうらいは海外かいがいで働はたらきたいです。I want to work abroad in the future.
  • 私わたしたちは将来しょうらいの夢ゆめについて話はなしました。We talked about our future dreams.
  • 将軍しょうぐんは軍ぐんを率ひきいていました。The general led the army.
  • 将軍しょうぐんは撤退てったいを命めいじました。The general ordered a retreat.
  • 日曜日にちようびに祖父そふと将棋しょうぎをします。I play shogi with my grandfather on Sundays.
  • チームの大将たいしょうがみんなを励はげましました。The team captain encouraged everyone.

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

Watch out

将来 means the future, not a leader. 将軍 is a military commander, while 大将 can be a team captain; choose the word for the context.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 将来 in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    しょうらい

    将来 is read しょうらい; it refers to the future, as in a future dream.

  2. Write the reading of 将軍 in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    しょうぐん

    将軍 is read しょうぐん and means a general or military commander.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿棋（しょうぎ）［将／近］.

    Show answer or example answer

    将

    将 completes 将棋, read しょうぎ, the Japanese board game.

Use it today

Write 将 using the diagram. Cover the table, read 将来 and 将軍, and make a sentence using one of them.