第: the kanji for No.; residence
第 is a Jōyō kanji that means No.; residence. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
第 is written in 11 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
第 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ダイ (dai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 第一だいいち · daiichi | first; number one |
| 次第しだい · shidai | as soon as; depending on |
| 第三者だいさんしゃ · daisansha | third party |
| 落第らくだい · rakudai | failing (an exam) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 安全が第一です。Anzen ga daiichi desu.Safety comes first.
- 準備ができ次第、始めます。Junbi ga deki shidai, hajimemasu.We'll start as soon as we're ready.
- 毎月第二火曜日に会議があります。Maitsuki dai-ni kayōbi ni kaigi ga arimasu.There is a meeting on the second Tuesday of every month.
- 第三者の意見も聞きましょう。Daisansha no iken mo kikimashō.Let's hear a third party's opinion too.
- 結果は天気次第です。Kekka wa tenki shidai desu.The result depends on the weather.
Questions about 第
How many strokes does 第 have?
第 is written in 11 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 第?
The on readings are dai (ダイ). 第 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 第?
第 is a Jōyō kanji, but it is not in the N5–N1 kanji lists on this site. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so other study materials may place 第 at a JLPT level.
About the JLPT level
第 is one of the 2,136 kanji in the official Jōyō Kanji Table, but it is not in the N5–N1 kanji lists on this site. The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. Our lists are a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009 and on the levels that several learning sites agree on, and the sources we checked place 第 at N1 or N2. See the list of Jōyō kanji outside our JLPT lists.
More Jōyō kanji
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 第
- 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.