Explore 臣 in historical relationships and modern government. Learn its readings as parts of whole words.

The idea

臣 has six strokes; follow the linked diagram. 家臣 is かしん, 臣下 is しんか, and 大臣 is だいじん. The usual readings here are しん and じん.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingExample in context
家臣かしんThe retainer served his lord.
大臣だいじんThe minister gave a speech at the press conference.
臣下しんかThe king consulted his retainers.

Examples

  • 家臣かしんは主君しゅくんに仕つかえました。The retainer served his lord.
  • 大臣だいじんは記者会見きしゃかいけんで演説えんぜつしました。The minister gave a speech at the press conference.
  • 内閣総理大臣ないかくそうりだいじんは国会こっかいで質問しつもんに答こたえました。The prime minister answered questions in the Diet.
  • 王おうは臣下しんかに相談そうだんしました。The king consulted his retainers.
  • 武家ぶけの家臣かしんについての本ほんを読よみました。I read a book about the retainers of a samurai family.
  • 財務大臣ざいむだいじんは予算よさんを説明せつめいしました。The finance minister explained the budget.

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

Watch out

家臣 is a retainer serving a lord; 大臣 is a government minister. Do not assume every 臣 word refers to a historical servant.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 家臣 in hiragana.

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    かしん

    家臣 is かしん: a retainer in a lord’s household. 臣 is read しん here.

  2. Write the reading of 大臣 in hiragana.

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    だいじん

    大臣 is だいじん, a minister. Here 臣 is read じん.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿下（しんか）［臣／巨］.

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    臣

    臣 completes 臣下（しんか）, a ruler’s retainers or subjects.

Use it today

Write 臣 using the diagram, cover the table, then read 家臣 and 大臣 aloud and use one in a sentence.