私: the kanji for I and private
私 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means I, private. Below are its readings, 9 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
私 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
私 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 9 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
シ (shi)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 私立しりつ · shiritsu | private (school) |
| 私用しよう · shiyō | personal use; personal business |
| 公私こうし · kōshi | public and private |
| 私生活しせいかつ · shiseikatsu | private life |
| 私服しふく · shifuku | casual clothes |
| 私鉄してつ · shitetsu | private railway |
わたくし (watakushi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 私わたくし · watakushi | I (formal) |
わたし (watashi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 私わたし · watashi | I |
| 私たちわたしたち · watashitachi | we |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 私は営業部の者です。Watashi wa eigyōbu no mono desu.I'm from the sales department.
- 私たちのチームは五人です。Watashitachi no chīmu wa gonin desu.There are five people on our team.
- 私用で午後休みます。Shiyō de gogo yasumimasu.I'm taking the afternoon off for personal reasons.
- 今日は私服で出社できます。Kyō wa shifuku de shussha dekimasu.We can come to the office in casual clothes today.
- 私鉄に乗り換えて帰ります。Shitetsu ni norikaete kaerimasu.I transfer to a private railway line to get home.
- 私、担当の山田と申します。Watakushi, tantō no Yamada to mōshimasu.My name is Yamada, and I'm in charge.
Questions about 私
How many strokes does 私 have?
私 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 私?
The on readings are shi (シ). The kun readings are watakushi (わたくし), watashi (わたし).
Should you say watashi or watakushi at work?
わたし (watashi) is polite and fine in most situations. わたくし (watakushi) is more formal and is used in speeches, interviews and with important clients. Avoid 僕 (boku) and 俺 (ore) in business.
What JLPT level is 私?
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
People and family
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 私
- 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.