我: the kanji for I; self
我 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means I; self. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
我 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
我 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 5 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ガ (ga)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 我慢がまん · gaman | patience; endurance |
| 自我じが · jiga | ego; self |
われ (ware)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 我々われわれ · wareware | we |
| 我ながらわれながら · warenagara | even if I say so myself |
わ (wa)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 我が家わがや · wagaya | our home; my family |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 痛いのを我慢した。Itai no o gaman shita.I put up with the pain.
- 我が家には猫が二匹いる。Wagaya ni wa neko ga nihiki iru.We have two cats at home.
- 我々は同じ目標を持っている。Wareware wa onaji mokuhyō o motte iru.We share the same goal.
- 我ながら、よくできたと思う。Warenagara, yoku dekita to omou.If I do say so myself, I think it turned out well.
- 子どもは三歳ごろに自我が芽生える。Kodomo wa sansai goro ni jiga ga mebaeru.Children begin to develop a sense of self around age three.
Questions about 我
How many strokes does 我 have?
我 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 我?
The on readings are ga (ガ). The kun readings are ware (われ), wa (わ).
What JLPT level is 我?
N1. 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 N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
People and relationships
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 我
- 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.