time / hour

N5
Onyomi
Kunyomi
Stroke count
10
JLPT
N5

Mnemonic

A clean, flat study card showing the kanji 時, meaning "time", on a soft background.

The sun (日) beside a temple measuring the hours. 時 means time or hour.

Stroke Order

Stroke count: 10

  1. 1Write from top to bottom.
  2. 2Write from left to right.
  3. 3Write horizontal strokes before the vertical strokes that cross them.
  4. 4Draw an outer enclosure first, then fill in what is inside.
  5. 5In symmetric shapes, write the centre before the left and right sides.
  6. 6This kanji has 10 strokes — trace them in order in the practice area below.

Step by step

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Stroke-order data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Practice Writing

Trace the faded character with your mouse or finger. Hide the outline to test yourself.

Structure

Radical

sun / day

Component

temple

The sun 日 marks time; 寺 gives the reading じ. Temples once kept time with bells.

Writing Tips

  • Keep the 日 radical compact on the left, and let the right side stand a little taller.
  • Follow the order strictly: top-to-bottom and left-to-right. Correct order makes the shape balanced and natural.
  • Keep each stroke in one smooth motion — don't lift the pen in the middle of a stroke.
  • Close enclosing strokes cleanly so the character does not look open or broken.
  • Common mistake: drawing strokes bottom-to-top or right-to-left. Even if the result looks similar, the wrong order shows in handwriting and makes it harder to read.

Example words

Example sentences (1)

jikan wa totemo taisetsu desu.

The time is very important.

Related kanji