西: the kanji for west
西 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means west. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
西 is written in 6 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
西 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
セイ (sei)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 西洋せいよう · seiyō | the West; Western |
| 西暦せいれき · seireki | the Western calendar |
| 北西ほくせい · hokusei | northwest |
| 西部せいぶ · seibu | the western part |
サイ (sai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 関西かんさい · Kansai | Kansai (the region around Osaka and Kyoto) |
| 東西とうざい · tōzai | east and west |
にし (nishi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 西にし · nishi | west |
| 西口にしぐち · nishiguchi | west exit |
| 西日にしび · nishibi | afternoon sun |
| 西側にしがわ · nishigawa | west side |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 西口のバス乗り場で待っています。Nishiguchi no basu noriba de matte imasu.I'll wait at the bus stop at the west exit.
- 関西の出身です。Kansai no shusshin desu.I'm from the Kansai region.
- 生年月日は西暦で書いてください。Seinengappi wa seireki de kaite kudasai.Please write your date of birth using the Western calendar.
- この部屋は西日が強いです。Kono heya wa nishibi ga tsuyoi desu.This room gets strong afternoon sun.
- 西洋の文化と日本の文化は違います。Seiyō no bunka to Nihon no bunka wa chigaimasu.Western culture and Japanese culture are different.
- 大阪は東京の西にあります。Ōsaka wa Tōkyō no nishi ni arimasu.Osaka is west of Tokyo.
Questions about 西
How many strokes does 西 have?
西 is written in 6 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 西?
The on readings are sei (セイ), sai (サイ). The kun readings are nishi (にし).
What is 西暦?
西暦 (seireki) is the Western calendar, as in 2026. Japanese forms sometimes use 和暦 (wareki), which counts years by the name of the Japanese era.
What JLPT level is 西?
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
Places and directions
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 西
- 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.