早: the kanji for early and fast
早 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means early, fast. Below are its readings, 12 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
早 is written in 6 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
早 has 5 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 12 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ソウ (sou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 早朝そうちょう · sōchō | early morning |
| 早退そうたい · sōtai | leaving early |
| 早期そうき · sōki | early stage |
サッ (satsu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 早速さっそく · sassoku | right away |
| 早急さっきゅう · sakkyū | promptly |
はやい (hayai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 早いはやい · hayai | early; fast |
| 早めはやめ · hayame | a little early |
| 早口はやくち · hayakuchi | fast talking |
| 早起きはやおき · hayaoki | getting up early |
| 素早いすばやい · subayai | quick |
はやまる (hayamaru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 早まるはやまる · hayamaru | to be moved up (earlier) |
はやめる (hayameru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 早めるはやめる · hayameru | to move up; to bring forward |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 早速ですが、本題に入ります。Sassoku desu ga, hondai ni hairimasu.Let's get right down to business.
- 今日は体調が悪いので早退します。Kyō wa taichō ga warui node sōtai shimasu.I'm not feeling well, so I'm leaving early today.
- 会議の時間を一時間早めてもいいですか。Kaigi no jikan o ichijikan hayamete mo ii desu ka.Could we move the meeting up by an hour?
- 早めに空港に行きましょう。Hayame ni kūkō ni ikimashō.Let's go to the airport a little early.
- 早口で聞き取れませんでした。Hayakuchi de kikitoremasen deshita.They spoke so fast that I couldn't catch it.
- 締め切りが三日早まりました。Shimekiri ga mikka hayamarimashita.The deadline was moved up three days.
Questions about 早
How many strokes does 早 have?
早 is written in 6 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 早?
The on readings are sou (ソウ), satsu (サッ). The kun readings are hayai (はやい), hayamaru (はやまる), hayameru (はやめる).
What is the difference between 早い and 速い?
Both are read hayai. 早い means early in time, as in 朝が早い (I get up early). 速い means fast in speed, as in 足が速い (a fast runner).
What JLPT level is 早?
N4. 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 N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Time and seasons
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 早
- 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.