桜: the kanji for cherry blossom
桜 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means cherry blossom. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
桜 is written in 10 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
桜 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
オウ (ou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 桜花おうか · ōka | cherry blossoms |
| 観桜かんおう · kan'ō | cherry blossom viewing |
さくら (sakura)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 桜さくら · sakura | cherry blossom |
| 夜桜よざくら · yozakura | cherry blossoms at night |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 四月に桜が満開になった。Shigatsu ni sakura ga mankai ni natta.The cherry blossoms were in full bloom in April.
- 公園で夜桜を楽しんだ。Kōen de yozakura o tanoshinda.We enjoyed the cherry blossoms at night in the park.
- 観桜会に招かれた。Kan'ōkai ni manekareta.I was invited to a cherry blossom viewing party.
- …桜花の季節に入学式がある。Ōka no kisetsu ni nyūgakushiki ga aru.Entrance ceremonies are held in cherry blossom season.
- 桜の花びらが風に舞っている。Sakura no hanabira ga kaze ni matte iru.Cherry petals are dancing in the wind.
Questions about 桜
How many strokes does 桜 have?
桜 is written in 10 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 桜?
The on readings are ou (オウ). The kun readings are sakura (さくら).
What JLPT level is 桜?
N1. 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 N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Nature, weather and animals
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 桜
- 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.