鳥: the kanji for bird
鳥 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means bird. Below are its readings, 9 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
鳥 is written in 11 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
鳥 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 9 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
チョウ (chou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 野鳥やちょう · yachō | wild bird |
| 白鳥はくちょう · hakuchō | swan |
| 一石二鳥いっせきにちょう · isseki nichō | killing two birds with one stone |
| 鳥類ちょうるい · chōrui | birds (as a class) |
とり (tori)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 鳥とり · tori | bird |
| 小鳥ことり · kotori | small bird |
| 焼き鳥やきとり · yakitori | grilled chicken skewers |
| 鳥居とりい · torii | shrine gate |
| 渡り鳥わたりどり · wataridori | migratory bird |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 焼き鳥を食べに行きましょう。Yakitori o tabe ni ikimashō.Let's go eat yakitori.
- 神社の鳥居の前で写真を撮りました。Jinja no torii no mae de shashin o torimashita.I took a photo in front of the shrine gate.
- この方法なら一石二鳥です。Kono hōhō nara isseki nichō desu.This way we kill two birds with one stone.
- 朝、鳥の声で目が覚めました。Asa, tori no koe de me ga samemashita.I woke up to the sound of birds this morning.
- 冬になると湖に白鳥が来ます。Fuyu ni naru to mizuumi ni hakuchō ga kimasu.Swans come to the lake in winter.
- 公園で野鳥を観察しました。Kōen de yachō o kansatsu shimashita.I watched wild birds in the park.
Questions about 鳥
How many strokes does 鳥 have?
鳥 is written in 11 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 鳥?
The on readings are chou (チョウ). The kun readings are tori (とり).
Is 一石二鳥 the same as the English idiom?
Yes. 一石二鳥 (isseki nichō) literally means "one stone, two birds," just like "killing two birds with one stone." It is common in business conversation.
What JLPT level is 鳥?
N4. 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 N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Food, animals and nature
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 鳥
- 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.