乙: the kanji for second; B
乙 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means second; B. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
乙 is written in 1 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
乙 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).
オツ (otsu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 甲乙こうおつ · kōotsu | A and B; superiority and inferiority |
| 乙種おつしゅ · otsushu | class B |
| 乙おつ · otsu | stylish; unusual and nice |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 乙, 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 |
|---|---|
| 乙女おとめ · otome | maiden |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- どちらの作品も甲乙つけがたい。Dochira no sakuhin mo kōotsu tsukegatai.It is hard to say which work is better.
- 冬に冷たいそばを食べるのも乙なものだ。Fuyu ni tsumetai soba o taberu no mo otsu na mono da.Eating cold soba in winter is also rather nice.
- 乙女の祈りという曲を聞いた。Otome no inori to iu kyoku o kiita.I listened to a piece called "A Maiden's Prayer."
- 契約書では買い手を乙と呼ぶ。Keiyakusho de wa kaite o otsu to yobu.In the contract, the buyer is called Party B.
- 乙種の資格を取った。Otsushu no shikaku o totta.I obtained a class B license.
Questions about 乙
How many strokes does 乙 have?
乙 is written in 1 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 乙?
The on readings are otsu (オツ). 乙 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 乙?
N1. 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 N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Numbers, time and quantity
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 乙
- 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.