土: the kanji for earth and soil
土 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means earth, soil. Below are its readings, 12 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
土 is written in 3 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
土 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 11 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ド (do)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 土曜日どようび · doyōbi | Saturday |
| 土曜どよう · doyō | Saturday |
| 土日どにち · donichi | Saturday and Sunday; the weekend |
| 土木どぼく · doboku | civil engineering |
| 国土こくど · kokudo | national land |
| 粘土ねんど · nendo | clay |
| 土台どだい · dodai | foundation |
| 土足どそく · dosoku | wearing shoes indoors |
ト (to)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 土地とち · tochi | land |
つち (tsuchi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 土つち · tsuchi | soil; earth |
| 赤土あかつち · akatsuchi | red clay |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 土, 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 |
|---|---|
| 土産みやげ · miyage | souvenir; gift |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 土曜日は休みです。Doyōbi wa yasumi desu.I'm off on Saturdays.
- 出張でお土産を買いました。Shutchō de omiyage o kaimashita.I bought souvenirs on my business trip.
- この土地は駅に近いです。Kono tochi wa eki ni chikai desu.This land is close to the station.
- 土足で入らないでください。Dosoku de hairanaide kudasai.Please don't come in with your shoes on.
- 土日も営業しています。Donichi mo eigyō shite imasu.We're also open on Saturdays and Sundays.
- 庭の土を入れ替えました。Niwa no tsuchi o irekaemashita.I replaced the soil in the garden.
Questions about 土
How many strokes does 土 have?
土 is written in 3 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 土?
The on readings are do (ド), to (ト). The kun readings are tsuchi (つち).
What does 土日 mean?
土日 (donichi) means Saturday and Sunday, the weekend. It is short for 土曜日 (doyōbi) and 日曜日 (nichiyōbi).
What JLPT level is 土?
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 土
- 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.