四

• Reading: し
• Romaji: shi
• Kanji breakdown: 四 (shi/yo/yon) — four
• Pronunciation: /ɕi/

Meaning

Four; 4. A number with two common readings in Japanese.

Has two readings: し (Sino-Japanese) and よん (native Japanese). よん is preferred in most everyday contexts because し sounds like 死 (shi, death). For example, よじ (four o'clock) and よにん (four people) use the よ reading. However, し appears in compounds like 四月 (shigatsu, April).

Examples

1. 四月から学校が始まります。 School starts in April.
2. 家族は四人です。 There are four people in my family.
3. 四時に駅で会いましょう。 Let's meet at the station at four o'clock.

Usage Guide

Context: counting, dates, time

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 四 originally depicted breath or air in an enclosed space. Its current form is unrelated to its meaning, unlike 一 through 三.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal