午: the kanji for noon
午 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means noon. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
午 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
午 has 1 reading in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 6 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ゴ (go)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 午前ごぜん · gozen | a.m.; morning |
| 午後ごご · gogo | p.m.; afternoon |
| 正午しょうご · shōgo | noon |
| 午前中ごぜんちゅう · gozenchū | during the morning |
| 午後三時ごごさんじ · gogo sanji | 3 p.m. |
| 子午線しごせん · shigosen | meridian |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 午前九時に出社します。Gozen kuji ni shussha shimasu.I get to the office at 9 a.m.
- 午後の会議は二時からです。Gogo no kaigi wa niji kara desu.The afternoon meeting starts at two.
- 正午に駅で会いましょう。Shōgo ni eki de aimashō.Let's meet at the station at noon.
- 午前中に返事をします。Gozenchū ni henji o shimasu.I'll reply in the morning.
- 午後は外出しています。Gogo wa gaishutsu shite imasu.I'll be out of the office in the afternoon.
- 店は午後八時に閉まります。Mise wa gogo hachiji ni shimarimasu.The shop closes at 8 p.m.
Questions about 午
How many strokes does 午 have?
午 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 午?
The on readings are go (ゴ). 午 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
How do you say a.m. and p.m. in Japanese?
Say 午前 (gozen) for a.m. and 午後 (gogo) for p.m. Put them before the time: 午後三時 (gogo sanji) is 3 p.m.
What JLPT level is 午?
N5. 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 N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Days and time
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 午
- 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.