身: the kanji for somebody; person
身 is a Jōyō kanji that means somebody; person. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
身 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
身 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 5 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
シン (shin)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 身長しんちょう · shinchō | height (of a person) |
| 出身しゅっしん · shusshin | hometown; where one is from |
| 独身どくしん · dokushin | single; unmarried |
み (mi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 中身なかみ · nakami | contents |
| 身分証明書みぶんしょうめいしょ · mibun shōmeisho | ID card |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- ご出身はどちらですか。Go-shusshin wa dochira desu ka.Where are you from?
- 身長は何センチですか。Shinchō wa nan senchi desu ka.How tall are you in centimeters?
- 身分証明書を見せてください。Mibun shōmeisho o misete kudasai.Please show me your ID.
- 箱の中身を確認しました。Hako no nakami o kakunin shimashita.I checked the contents of the box.
- 兄はまだ独身です。Ani wa mada dokushin desu.My older brother is still single.
Questions about 身
How many strokes does 身 have?
身 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 身?
The on readings are shin (シン). The kun readings are mi (み).
What JLPT level is 身?
身 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 身 at a JLPT level.
About the JLPT level
身 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, so other study materials may place 身 at a JLPT level. 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 身
- 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.