木

• Reading: き
• Romaji: ki
• Kanji breakdown: 木 (moku/boku/ki/ko) — tree, wood
• Pronunciation: /ki/

Meaning

Tree; shrub; bush. A fundamental word for plants with wooden trunks.

A noun referring to trees and wood. One of the most basic kanji, 木 is also a radical found in many tree-related characters like 林 (grove), 森 (forest), and 桜 (cherry blossom). Read as もく in 木曜日 (Thursday) and as き in everyday speech.

Examples

1. 公園に大きい木があります。 There is a big tree in the park.
2. 木の下で休みましょう。 Let's rest under the tree.
3. 秋になると木の葉が赤くなります。 When fall comes, the leaves on the trees turn red.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, parks, seasons

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 木 is a pictograph of a tree with branches above and roots below, one of the most fundamental pictographic characters.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal