順

• Reading: じゅん
• Romaji: jun
• Kanji breakdown: 順 (jun) — order, sequence, turn
• Pronunciation: /dʑɯɴ/

Meaning

Order; turn; sequence. The arrangement or succession of things.

A noun and suffix indicating the order or sequence of things. Used both as a standalone word and as a suffix in compounds like 順番 (turn), 順序 (sequence), and 五十音順 (alphabetical order in Japanese). As a suffix, it attaches to criteria: 年齢順 (by age), 大きさ順 (by size). Often paired with に to form the adverbial 順に (in order).

Examples

1. 名前を五十音順に並べてください。 Please arrange the names in Japanese alphabetical order.
2. 順に説明しますので少々お待ちください。 I'll explain in order, so please wait a moment.
3. 年齢順に座ることになった。 We ended up sitting in order of age.

Usage Guide

Context: organisation, instructions, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 順 combines the river radical 川 with 頁 (head/page), suggesting the natural flow or sequence of things, like water following a course.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal