梅: the kanji for plum
梅 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means plum. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
梅 is written in 10 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
梅 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).
バイ (bai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 梅雨ばいう · baiu | rainy season … |
| 紅梅こうばい · kōbai | red plum blossoms |
うめ (ume)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 梅うめ · ume | plum |
| 梅干しうめぼし · umeboshi | pickled plum |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 梅, 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 |
|---|---|
| 梅雨つゆ · tsuyu | rainy season |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 二月に梅の花が咲いた。Nigatsu ni ume no hana ga saita.The plum blossoms bloomed in February.
- おにぎりに梅干しを入れた。Onigiri ni umeboshi o ireta.I put a pickled plum in the rice ball.
- 六月は梅雨で雨が多い。Rokugatsu wa tsuyu de ame ga ōi.June has a lot of rain because of the rainy season.
- …天気予報で梅雨前線の話をしていた。Tenki yohō de baiu zensen no hanashi o shite ita.The weather forecast talked about the rainy season front.
- 庭に紅梅が咲いている。Niwa ni kōbai ga saite iru.Red plum blossoms are blooming in the garden.
Questions about 梅
How many strokes does 梅 have?
梅 is written in 10 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 梅?
The on readings are bai (バイ). The kun readings are ume (うめ).
What JLPT level is 梅?
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 梅
- 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.