Discover how 伸 expresses stretching, growth and extension in everyday and formal words.
The idea
伸 has five strokes; follow the linked diagram. 伸びる（のびる） is intransitive: something grows or extends. 伸ばす（のばす） is transitive: someone stretches something. 延伸（えんしん） uses the on-reading シン.
Examples
- 私の髪が伸びました。My hair has grown longer.
- 空に向かって腕を伸ばします。I stretch my arms toward the sky.
- 子どもの身長が一年で五センチ伸びました。The child’s height increased by five centimetres in a year.
- 去年は売り上げが伸びました。Sales grew last year.
- 背筋を伸ばして座りました。I straightened my back and sat down.
- 鉄道が隣の町まで延伸されました。The railway was extended to the next town.
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Watch out
Do not confuse 伸 with 申: 伸 has the person component 亻 on the left. Also, 伸びる takes the growing thing as its subject, while 伸ばす takes an object with を.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 伸びる in hiragana.
Show answer or example answer
のびる
伸びる is のびる: hair or sales can grow. The thing that grows is the subject.
Write the reading of 延伸 in hiragana.
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えんしん
延伸 is えんしん, a compound for extension, such as extending a railway.
Choose the missing kanji: 延＿（えんしん）［伸／申］.
Show answer or example answer
伸
伸 completes 延伸. The left-hand 亻 distinguishes it from 申.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 伸びる in hiragana.
Write the reading of 延伸 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: 延＿（えんしん）［伸／申］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 伸 using the diagram. Read 伸びる, 伸ばす and 延伸 aloud, then describe something that has grown.