手: the kanji for hand
手 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means hand. Below are its readings, 20 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
手 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
手 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).
シュ (shu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 選手せんしゅ · senshu | athlete; player |
| 歌手かしゅ · kashu | singer |
| 拍手はくしゅ · hakushu | applause |
| 握手あくしゅ · akushu | handshake |
| 運転手うんてんしゅ · untenshu | driver |
| 助手じょしゅ · joshu | assistant |
| 挙手きょしゅ · kyoshu | raising one's hand |
て (te)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 手て · te | hand |
| 手紙てがみ · tegami | letter |
| 切手きって · kitte | postage stamp |
| 相手あいて · aite | the other party; partner |
| 手数料てすうりょう · tesūryō | fee; handling charge |
| 手続きてつづき · tetsuzuki | procedure; paperwork |
| 苦手にがて · nigate | weak point; not good at |
| 若手わかて · wakate | young employee |
| 手元てもと · temoto | at hand |
た (ta)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 手綱たづな · tazuna | reins |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 手, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上手じょうず · jōzu | skilled; good at |
| 下手へた · heta | unskilled; poor at |
| 手伝うてつだう · tetsudau | to help |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 日本語が上手ですね。Nihongo ga jōzu desu ne.Your Japanese is very good.
- ビザの手続きに一か月かかりました。Biza no tetsuzuki ni ikkagetsu kakarimashita.The visa paperwork took a month.
- 振り込みの手数料はいくらですか。Furikomi no tesūryō wa ikura desu ka.How much is the transfer fee?
- 引っ越しを手伝ってくれてありがとう。Hikkoshi o tetsudatte kurete arigatō.Thanks for helping me move.
- 会議のあと、相手の社長と握手しました。Kaigi no ato, aite no shachō to akushu shimashita.After the meeting, I shook hands with their president.
- 私は人前で話すのが苦手です。Watashi wa hitomae de hanasu no ga nigate desu.I'm not good at speaking in public.
Questions about 手
How many strokes does 手 have?
手 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 手?
The on readings are shu (シュ). The kun readings are te (て), ta (た).
How should you answer when someone says your Japanese is 上手?
Japanese people often praise a little Japanese with 上手ですね (jōzu desu ne). A modest reply is いえいえ、まだまだです (ie ie, madamada desu), "Oh no, I still have a long way to go."
What JLPT level is 手?
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
Body and health
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 手
- 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.