四: the kanji for four
四 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means four. Below are its readings, 16 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
四 is written in 5 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
四 has 5 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 16 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
シ (shi)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 四月しがつ · shigatsu | April |
| 四季しき · shiki | the four seasons |
| 四角しかく · shikaku | square |
| 四国しこく · Shikoku | Shikoku (a region of Japan) |
| 四捨五入ししゃごにゅう · shishagonyū | rounding off |
よ (yo)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 四人よにん · yonin | four people |
| 四日よっか · yokka | the 4th of the month; four days |
| 四時よじ · yoji | four o'clock |
| 四年よねん · yonen | four years |
よつ (yotsu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 四つ角よつかど · yotsukado | crossroads |
よっつ (yottsu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 四つよっつ · yottsu | four (things) |
よん (yon)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 四回よんかい · yonkai | four times |
| 四階よんかい · yonkai | fourth floor |
| 四十よんじゅう · yonjū | forty |
| 四百よんひゃく · yonhyaku | four hundred |
| 四千よんせん · yonsen | four thousand |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 四月から新しい部署に移ります。Shigatsu kara atarashii busho ni utsurimasu.I'm moving to a new department in April.
- 会議室は四階です。Kaigishitsu wa yonkai desu.The meeting room is on the fourth floor.
- 四時に打ち合わせがあります。Yoji ni uchiawase ga arimasu.I have a meeting at four.
- 日本には四季があります。Nihon ni wa shiki ga arimasu.Japan has four seasons.
- 小数点以下は四捨五入してください。Shōsūten ika wa shishagonyū shite kudasai.Please round off the decimals.
- 四人で食事に行きました。Yonin de shokuji ni ikimashita.The four of us went out to eat.
Questions about 四
How many strokes does 四 have?
四 is written in 5 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 四?
The on readings are shi (シ). The kun readings are yo (よ), yotsu (よつ), yottsu (よっつ), yon (よん).
Is 四 read shi or yon?
Both are used. Yon is common when counting, as in 四回 (yonkai, four times). Shi is used in words such as 四月 (shigatsu, April). Four o'clock is 四時 (yoji).
What JLPT level is 四?
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
Numbers and money
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 四
- 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.