Explore 優 in words about kindness, excellence and priority. Learn each reading with its whole word.

The idea

優 has 17 strokes; use the linked diagram. 優しい is やさしい, 優れる is すぐれる, and 優秀 and 優先 use ゆう. 優秀な modifies a noun; 優先する means to give priority.

Patterns to compare
WordReading
優しいやさしい
優れるすぐれる
優秀ゆうしゅう
優先ゆうせん

Examples

  • 先生せんせいは学生がくせいに優やさしいです。The teacher is kind to students.
  • 彼女かのじょは優すぐれた研究者けんきゅうしゃです。She is an outstanding researcher.
  • 彼かれは優秀ゆうしゅうな成績せいせきで卒業そつぎょうしました。He graduated with excellent results.
  • 安全あんぜんを優先ゆうせんしてください。Please put safety first.
  • 電車でんしゃで優先席ゆうせんせきを譲ゆずりました。I gave up a priority seat on the train.
  • この道具どうぐは軽かるくて、使つかいやすさに優すぐれています。This tool is light and excels in ease of use.

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

Watch out

優しい describes kindness, not necessarily ability. 優れる expresses excellence, while 優先 concerns priority rather than quality. Do not confuse 優 with 憂: 優 has the person component 亻.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 優しい in hiragana.

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    やさしい

    優しい is やさしい: the teacher is kind to students. Learn the adjective with its ending.

  2. Write the reading of 優先 in hiragana.

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    ゆうせん

    優先 is ゆうせん: 安全を優先する means to put safety first.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿秀（ゆうしゅう）［優／憂］.

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    優

    優 completes 優秀（ゆうしゅう）, meaning excellent. It has 亻, unlike 憂.

Use it today

Write 優 following the diagram, then cover the table and read 優しい and 優先. Make a sentence using one word.