昨: the kanji for yesterday; previous
昨 is a JLPT N3 kanji that means yesterday; previous. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
昨 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
昨 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 2 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
サク (saku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 昨年さくねん · sakunen | last year |
| 昨晩さくばん · sakuban | last night |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 昨, 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 |
|---|---|
| 昨日きのう · kinō | yesterday |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 昨年、日本に引っ越しました。Sakunen, Nihon ni hikkoshimashita.I moved to Japan last year.
- 昨晩は雨が降っていた。Sakuban wa ame ga futte ita.It was raining last night.
- 昨日、映画を見に行った。Kinō, eiga o mi ni itta.I went to see a movie yesterday.
- 昨年の売り上げは好調だった。Sakunen no uriage wa kōchō datta.Last year's sales were doing well.
- 昨晩は早く寝ました。Sakuban wa hayaku nemashita.I went to bed early last night.
Questions about 昨
How many strokes does 昨 have?
昨 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 昨?
The on readings are saku (サク). 昨 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 昨?
N3. 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 N3 falls between the former Levels 2 and 3.
More JLPT N3 kanji
Time and sequence
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 昨
- 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.