住: the kanji for live and reside
住 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means live, reside. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
住 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
住 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ジュウ (juu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 住所じゅうしょ · jūsho | address |
| 住宅じゅうたく · jūtaku | housing |
| 住民じゅうみん · jūmin | resident |
| 移住いじゅう · ijū | moving to live; immigration |
| 在住ざいじゅう · zaijū | residing |
| 住民票じゅうみんひょう · jūminhyō | certificate of residence |
| 衣食住いしょくじゅう · ishokujū | food, clothing and shelter |
すむ (sumu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 住むすむ · sumu | to live |
| 住み心地すみごこち · sumigokochi | livability |
すまう (sumau)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 住まいすまい · sumai | residence; home |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- どちらにお住まいですか。Dochira ni o-sumai desu ka.Where do you live?
- ここに住所を書いてください。Koko ni jūsho o kaite kudasai.Please write your address here.
- 区役所で住民票を取りました。Kuyakusho de jūminhyō o torimashita.I got a certificate of residence at the ward office.
- 東京に住んで三年になります。Tōkyō ni sunde sannen ni narimasu.I've lived in Tokyo for three years.
- 東京在住のアメリカ人です。Tōkyō zaijū no Amerikajin desu.I'm an American living in Tokyo.
- この町は住み心地がいいです。Kono machi wa sumigokochi ga ii desu.This town is a nice place to live.
Questions about 住
How many strokes does 住 have?
住 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 住?
The on readings are juu (ジュウ). The kun readings are sumu (すむ), sumau (すまう).
What is a 住民票?
住民票 (jūminhyō) is a certificate of residence from your city or ward office. Foreign residents also get one after registering their address, and banks and employers often ask for it.
What JLPT level is 住?
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
Places and buildings
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 住
- 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.