父: the kanji for father
父 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means father. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
父 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
父 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 7 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
フ (fu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 父母ふぼ · fubo | father and mother |
| 祖父そふ · sofu | grandfather |
| 父兄ふけい · fukei | parents and guardians |
| 神父しんぷ · shinpu | (Catholic) priest |
ちち (chichi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 父ちち · chichi | (my) father |
| 父親ちちおや · chichioya | father |
| 父の日ちちのひ · Chichi no Hi | Father's Day |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 父, 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 |
|---|---|
| お父さんおとうさん · otōsan | father (polite) |
| 叔父おじ · oji | uncle (younger than one's parent) |
| 伯父おじ · oji | uncle (older than one's parent) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 父は銀行で働いています。Chichi wa ginkō de hataraite imasu.My father works at a bank.
- お父さんはお元気ですか。Otōsan wa ogenki desu ka.How is your father?
- 父の日にネクタイをあげました。Chichi no Hi ni nekutai o agemashita.I gave my father a tie for Father's Day.
- 祖父は昔、教師でした。Sofu wa mukashi, kyōshi deshita.My grandfather used to be a teacher.
- 叔父は北海道に住んでいます。Oji wa Hokkaidō ni sunde imasu.My uncle lives in Hokkaido.
- 父親になって、働き方が変わりました。Chichioya ni natte, hatarakikata ga kawarimashita.Becoming a father changed the way I work.
Questions about 父
How many strokes does 父 have?
父 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 父?
The on readings are fu (フ). The kun readings are chichi (ちち).
What is the difference between 父 and お父さん?
Use 父 (chichi) for your own father when you talk to other people. Use お父さん (otōsan) for someone else's father, or when you speak to your own father.
What JLPT level is 父?
N5. 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 N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
People
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 父
- 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.