三 Kanji: Meaning, Readings and Stroke Order

三: three; third. JLPT N5; 3 strokes.

Readings

On readings

サン

Kun readings

み-、み.つ、みっ.つ

Romaji

san, mi

Study notes

三 is the number three; it also indicates 'third' and appears in many common words.

On reading: サン in 三月 (さんがつ, March), 三人 (さんにん, three people), 三角 (さんかく, triangle). With some counters the following sound becomes voiced: 三本 (さんぼん), 三百 (さんびゃく), 三千 (さんぜん), 三階 (さんがい or さんかい, third floor).

Kun reading: み, especially in 三つ (みっつ, three, three objects), 三日 (みっか, the 3rd of the month; three days) and 三日月 (みかづき, crescent moon).

Special readings: 三味線 (しゃみせん, Japanese three-stringed lute) is read as a whole word.

Remember: 三 is written with three horizontal strokes, the longest one at the bottom.

Example words

• 三人 (さんにん) — three people
• 三角形 (さんかっけい) — triangle
• 三日月 (みかづき) — crescent moon
• 三つ (みっつ) — three things

Example sentences

三人で行きます。

sannin de ikimasu.

The three of us are going.

Stroke order

Follow the steps in order. Each new stroke is highlighted.

Stroke paths: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0. Sequential diagrams derived from the original paths.