時 Kanji: Meaning, Readings and Stroke Order

時: time; hour; occasion. JLPT N5; 10 strokes.

Readings

On readings

ジ

Kun readings

とき、-どき

Romaji

ji, toki, doki

Study notes

時 means 'time, moment'; with numbers it indicates the hours on the clock.

On readings: ジ in 時間 (じかん, time), 時代 (じだい, epoch), 当時 (とうじ, at that time), 同時 (どうじ, simultaneously) and with numbers: 一時 (いちじ, one o'clock), 四時 (よじ, four o'clock), 七時 (しちじ, seven o'clock), 九時 (くじ, nine o'clock).

Kun reading: とき, 'moment, when': 子供の時 (こどものとき, as a child), 時々 (ときどき, sometimes). In compound it becomes どき: 潮時 (しおどき, the right moment), 昼時 (ひるどき, lunch time).

Special readings: 時計 (とけい, clock) is read as a whole word.

Remember: for the hours one says よじ (not よんじ) for four and くじ (not きゅうじ) for nine. 一時 is read いちじ (one o'clock; temporarily) but also ひととき (a moment) and いっとき.

Example words

• 時々 (ときどき) — sometimes; from time to time
• 時間 (じかん) — time; hours
• 時 (とき) — time; moment
• 食べ時 (たべどき) — best time to eat

Example sentences

今は七時です。

ima wa shichiji desu.

It is seven o'clock now.

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.