棋: the kanji for shogi; chess

棋 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means shogi; chess. Below are its readings, 2 common words and example sentences, all with audio.

shogi; chessMeaning

キOn reading

—Kun reading

12Strokes

Stroke order

棋 is written in 12 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.

Words by reading

棋 has 1 reading 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).

キ (ki)

On reading.

Word	Meaning
将棋しょうぎ · shōgi	shogi (Japanese chess)
棋士きし · kishi	professional shogi or go player

Example sentences for work and daily life

父と将棋をした。Chichi to shōgi o shita.I played shogi with my father.
若い棋士が大会で優勝した。Wakai kishi ga taikai de yūshō shita.A young shogi player won the tournament.
将棋の駒を並べた。Shōgi no koma o narabeta.I set out the shogi pieces.
プロの棋士になるのは難しい。Puro no kishi ni naru no wa muzukashii.Becoming a professional shogi player is hard.
テレビで将棋の対局を見た。Terebi de shōgi no taikyoku o mita.I watched a shogi match on TV.

Questions about 棋

How many strokes does 棋 have?

棋 is written in 12 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.

What are the readings of 棋?

The on readings are ki (キ). 棋 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.

What JLPT level is 棋?

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.