Japanese kanji 座: sitting and seats

The idea

座 has 10 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 座る（すわる） with 座席（ざせき）. Learn the reading with the whole word, not the character in isolation.

Examples

• 椅子いすに座すわってください。Please sit on the chair.
• 窓側まどがわの座席ざせきを予約よやくしました。I reserved a window seat.
• 銀行ぎんこうで口座こうざを開ひらきました。I opened a bank account.
• 夜空よぞらに星座せいざが見みえます。You can see constellations in the night sky.
• 畳たたみの上うえで正座せいざをします。I sit formally on my heels on the tatami.
• 参加者さんかしゃは座談会ざだんかいで意見いけんを交換こうかんしました。The participants exchanged views at the discussion.

Watch out

座る is an intransitive verb: use に for the seat, as in 椅子に座る. 座席 is a seat, but 口座 is a bank account. Compare 座 with 坐: 座 has the enclosing 广 component.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 座る in hiragana.

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   すわる

   座る is read すわる. In context: Please sit on the chair.

2. Write the reading of 座席 in hiragana.

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   ざせき

   座席 is read ざせき. In context: I reserved a window seat.

3. Write the missing kanji: 口＿（こうざ）.

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   座

   座 completes 口座, read こうざ. In context: I opened a bank account.

Use it today

Write 座 three times using the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 座る and 座席 aloud, then check their readings and meanings.