昔: the kanji for old times; the past
昔 is a JLPT N3 kanji that means old times; the past. Below are its readings, 2 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
昔 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
昔 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 2 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
セキ (seki)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 昔日せきじつ · sekijitsu | days of old |
むかし (mukashi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 昔むかし · mukashi | long ago; the past |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 昔日の面影が残る街だ。Sekijitsu no omokage ga nokoru machi da.It's a town that still shows traces of days gone by.
- 昔、この辺りは畑だった。Mukashi, kono atari wa hatake datta.Long ago, this area was farmland.
- 昔の写真を見て懐かしくなった。Mukashi no shashin o mite natsukashiku natta.I felt nostalgic looking at old photos.
- 昔からこの町に住んでいます。Mukashi kara kono machi ni sunde imasu.I have lived in this town since long ago.
- 祖母は昔の話をよくしてくれる。Sobo wa mukashi no hanashi o yoku shite kureru.My grandmother often tells stories of the past.
Questions about 昔
How many strokes does 昔 have?
昔 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 昔?
The on readings are seki (セキ), shaku (シャク). The kun readings are mukashi (むかし).
What JLPT level is 昔?
N3. 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 N3 falls between the former Levels 2 and 3.
More JLPT N3 kanji
Time and sequence
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 昔
- 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.