古: the kanji for old
古 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means old. Below are its readings, 9 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
古 is written in 5 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
古 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 9 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
コ (ko)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 中古ちゅうこ · chūko | used; secondhand |
| 古代こだい · kodai | ancient times |
| 古典こてん · koten | classic |
| 考古学こうこがく · kōkogaku | archaeology |
| 最古さいこ · saiko | oldest |
ふるい (furui)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 古いふるい · furui | old |
| 古本ふるほん · furuhon | secondhand book |
| 古着ふるぎ · furugi | secondhand clothes |
ふるす (furusu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 使い古すつかいふるす · tsukaifurusu | to wear out with use |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 中古の車を買いました。Chūko no kuruma o kaimashita.I bought a used car.
- このパソコンはもう古いです。Kono pasokon wa mō furui desu.This computer is already old.
- 古いデータを削除してもいいですか。Furui dēta o sakujo shite mo ii desu ka.May I delete the old data?
- 奈良には日本最古の寺があります。Nara ni wa Nihon saiko no tera ga arimasu.Nara has the oldest temple in Japan.
- 週末に古着屋を回りました。Shūmatsu ni furugiya o mawarimashita.I went around secondhand clothing stores on the weekend.
- 古典文学を英語で読みました。Koten bungaku o Eigo de yomimashita.I read classical literature in English.
Questions about 古
How many strokes does 古 have?
古 is written in 5 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 古?
The on readings are ko (コ). The kun readings are furui (ふるい), furusu (ふるす).
What does 中古 mean?
中古 (chūko) means used or secondhand. 中古車 (chūkosha) is a used car and 中古品 (chūkohin) is a secondhand item. Japan has many shops for high-quality used goods.
What JLPT level is 古?
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
Time and seasons
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 古
- 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.