祖: the kanji for ancestor
祖 is a JLPT N3 kanji that means ancestor. Below are its readings, 3 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
祖 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
祖 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 3 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ソ (so)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 祖父そふ · sofu | grandfather |
| 祖母そぼ · sobo | grandmother |
| 先祖せんぞ · senzo | ancestors |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 祖父は毎朝散歩をしています。Sofu wa maiasa sanpo o shite imasu.My grandfather takes a walk every morning.
- 祖母は料理がとても上手です。Sobo wa ryōri ga totemo jōzu desu.My grandmother is very good at cooking.
- 先祖のお墓にお参りに行った。Senzo no ohaka ni omairi ni itta.I visited my ancestors' grave.
- 祖父母の家に遊びに行きます。Sofubo no ie ni asobi ni ikimasu.I'm going to visit my grandparents' house.
- 先祖から伝わる話を聞いた。Senzo kara tsutawaru hanashi o kiita.I heard a story passed down from my ancestors.
Questions about 祖
How many strokes does 祖 have?
祖 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 祖?
The on readings are so (ソ). 祖 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 祖?
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
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 祖
- 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.