Japanese kanji 南: south, readings and words

The idea

南 has 9 strokes. Follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 南 is read みなみ and means south; 南口 is read みなみぐち and means south exit. 南風 is read みなみかぜ: south wind.

Examples

• 私わたしは南みなみへ行いきます。I go south.
• 南みなみに山やまが見みえます。I can see a mountain to the south.
• 駅えきの南みなみに公園こうえんがあります。There is a park south of the station.
• 南口みなみぐちで会あいましょう。Let’s meet at the south exit.
• 今日きょうは南風みなみかぜが強つよいです。The south wind is strong today.
• 南みなみと北きたは反対はんたいです。South and north are opposite directions.

Watch out

Compare 南 with 雨; notice their different parts and strokes rather than guessing from the overall shape. 北 and 南 are compass directions, not the relative directions 右 and 左. An exit name such as 北口 or 南口 uses the direction before 口.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 南 in hiragana.

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   みなみ

   南 is read みなみ; it means south. Remember the reading with the whole word.

2. Write the reading of 南口 in hiragana.

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   みなみぐち

   南口 is read みなみぐち; it means south exit. Remember the reading with the whole word.

3. Write みなみかぜ in kanji for “south wind”.

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   南風

   南風 is written with 南 and read みなみかぜ; it means south wind.

Use it today

Write 南 three times using the linked stroke order. Cover the table, read 南 and 南口, and make a sentence with one of them.