字

• Reading: じ
• Romaji: ji
• Kanji breakdown: 字 (ji/aza) — letter, character
• Pronunciation: /dʑi/

Meaning

A letter; a character. Refers to any written symbol such as kanji, hiragana, or katakana.

Used broadly for written characters of any script. Common in compounds like 漢字 (kanji, Chinese characters), 文字 (moji, letter/character), and 数字 (suuji, numeral). Also describes a person's handwriting quality, as in 字がきれい (having neat handwriting).

Examples

1. もう少し大きい字で書いてください。 Please write in slightly bigger letters.
2. この字は何と読みますか。 How do you read this character?
3. 彼女は字がとてもきれいです。 She has very beautiful handwriting.

Usage Guide

Context: writing, school, reading, handwriting

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Chinese 字 (zì). The kanji combines 宀 (roof) and 子 (child), suggesting characters nurtured and preserved under a roof — written knowledge passed down through generations.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal