寿: the kanji for longevity; congratulations
寿 is a Jōyō kanji that means longevity; congratulations. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
寿 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
寿 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ジュ (ju)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 寿命じゅみょう · jumyō | life span |
| 長寿ちょうじゅ · chōju | long life |
| 米寿べいじゅ · beiju | 88th birthday |
ことぶき (kotobuki)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 寿ことぶき · kotobuki | celebration; congratulations |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 日本人の平均寿命は長いです。Nihonjin no heikin jumyō wa nagai desu.Japanese people have a long average life span.
- この電池の寿命は約一年です。Kono denchi no jumyō wa yaku ichinen desu.This battery lasts about a year.
- 祖母の米寿のお祝いをしました。Sobo no beiju no oiwai o shimashita.We celebrated my grandmother's 88th birthday.
- 長寿の秘けつは何ですか。Chōju no hiketsu wa nan desu ka.What is the secret to a long life?
- 日本の寿司は世界中で人気です。Nihon no sushi wa sekaijū de ninki desu.Japanese sushi is popular all over the world.
Questions about 寿
How many strokes does 寿 have?
寿 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 寿?
The on readings are ju (ジュ). The kun readings are kotobuki (ことぶき).
How is 寿 read in 寿司 (sushi)?
In 寿司, 寿 is read す (su). This reading is not in the Jōyō Kanji Table. The kanji in 寿司 were chosen for their sound.
What JLPT level is 寿?
寿 is a Jōyō kanji, but it is not in the N5–N1 kanji lists on this site. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so other study materials may place 寿 at a JLPT level.
About the JLPT level
寿 is one of the 2,136 kanji in the official Jōyō Kanji Table, but it is not in the N5–N1 kanji lists on this site. The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. Our lists are a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009 and on the levels that several learning sites agree on, so other study materials may place 寿 at a JLPT level. See the list of Jōyō kanji outside our JLPT lists.
More Jōyō kanji
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 寿
- 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.