Recognize 姓 in 姓 and 姓名; learn the whole words and use them in everyday sentences.

The idea

姓 has 8 strokes; follow the order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Read 姓 as せい and 姓名 as せいめい. Learn each reading together with the whole word and its meaning.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
姓せいfamily name
姓名せいめいfull name
名なgiven name
姓と名せいとなfamily and given names

Examples

  • 私わたしの姓せいは田中たなかです。My family name is Tanaka.
  • ここに姓名せいめいを書かいてください。Please write your full name here.
  • 姓せいと名なをひらがなで書かきます。I write my family and given names in hiragana.
  • 名なははなです。My given name is Hana.
  • 姓せいをもう一度いちど教おしえてください。Please tell me your family name once more.
  • このカードに姓名せいめいが書かいてあります。The full name is on this card.

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

Watch out

姓 is the family name; 名 is the given name. 姓名 asks for the full name, not just the family name.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 姓 in hiragana.

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    せい

    姓 is read せい; it means family name. Remember the reading with the complete word.

  2. Write the reading of 姓名 in hiragana.

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    せいめい

    姓名 is read せいめい; it means full name. Remember the reading with the complete word.

  3. Complete the missing kanji from this lesson: ＿と名（せいとな）.

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    姓

    姓 completes 姓と名, read せいとな; the complete expression means family and given names.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 姓 from memory in stroke order, and read 姓 and 姓名 aloud. Then check their readings and meanings.