事: the kanji for thing, matter, affair
事 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means thing, matter, affair. Below are its readings, 17 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
事 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
事 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 17 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ジ (ji)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 事務所じむしょ · jimusho | office |
| 事故じこ · jiko | accident |
| 事実じじつ · jijitsu | fact |
| 事業じぎょう · jigyō | business; project |
| 食事しょくじ · shokuji | meal |
| 返事へんじ · henji | reply |
| 火事かじ · kaji | fire (in a building) |
| 大事だいじ · daiji | important |
| 用事ようじ · yōji | errand; something to do |
| 記事きじ · kiji | article |
| 無事ぶじ · buji | safely; without trouble |
| 工事こうじ · kōji | construction work |
| 人事じんじ · jinji | human resources; personnel |
こと (koto)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 事こと · koto | thing; matter |
| 仕事しごと · shigoto | work; job |
| 出来事できごと · dekigoto | event; incident |
| 事柄ことがら · kotogara | matter; subject |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 仕事は九時に始まります。Shigoto wa kuji ni hajimarimasu.Work starts at nine.
- メールの返事が遅くなってすみません。Mēru no henji ga osoku natte sumimasen.I'm sorry for the late reply to your email.
- お客様と食事をしました。Okyakusama to shokuji o shimashita.I had a meal with a client.
- 今日は午後に用事があります。Kyō wa gogo ni yōji ga arimasu.I have something to take care of this afternoon.
- 事務所は駅の近くです。Jimusho wa eki no chikaku desu.The office is near the station.
- 無事に着きました。Buji ni tsukimashita.I arrived safely.
Questions about 事
How many strokes does 事 have?
事 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 事?
The on readings are ji (ジ), zu (ズ). The kun readings are koto (こと).
What is the difference between 仕事 and 事業?
仕事 (shigoto) is the everyday word for work or a job. 事業 (jigyō) means a business or large project run by a company, as in 新しい事業 (atarashii jigyō, a new business).
What JLPT level is 事?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Work and money
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 事
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.