Recognize 西 in 西 and 関西; learn the whole words and use them in everyday sentences.

The idea

西 has 6 strokes; follow the order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Read 西 as にし and 関西 as かんさい. Learn each reading together with the whole word and its meaning.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
西にしwest
関西かんさいKansai region
西口にしぐちwest exit
西日本にしにほんwestern Japan

Examples

  • 駅えきの西にしに公園こうえんがあります。There is a park west of the station.
  • 関西かんさいに友達ともだちがいます。I have a friend in Kansai.
  • 西口にしぐちで友達ともだちを待まちます。I wait for a friend at the west exit.
  • 太陽たいようは西にしに沈しずみます。The sun sets in the west.
  • 西日本にしにほんを電車でんしゃで旅たびします。I travel through western Japan by train.
  • 西にしの空そらが赤あかくなりました。The western sky turned red.

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

Watch out

西 by itself is にし, but 西 in 関西 is さい. Learn place names as complete words rather than guessing their readings.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 西 in hiragana.

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    にし

    西 is read にし; it means west. Remember the reading with the complete word.

  2. Write the reading of 関西 in hiragana.

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    かんさい

    関西 is read かんさい; it means Kansai region. Remember the reading with the complete word.

  3. Complete the missing kanji from this lesson: ＿口（にしぐち）.

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    西

    西 completes 西口, read にしぐち; the complete expression means west exit.

Use it today

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