東 Kanji: Meaning, Readings and Stroke Order

東: east; Orient. JLPT N5; 8 strokes.

Readings

On readings

トウ

Kun readings

ひがし、あずま

Romaji

tou, higashi, azuma

Study notes

東 means 'east'; it appears in many place names, starting with 東京 (とうきょう, Tokyo, literally 'capital of the east').

On reading: トウ in 東京 (とうきょう, Tokyo), 東洋 (とうよう, East), 東北 (とうほく, northeast; Tōhoku region), 中東 (ちゅうとう, Middle East), 東西 (とうざい, east and west), 関東 (かんとう, Kantō region).

Kun readings: ひがし, 'east': 東口 (ひがしぐち, eastern exit of a station), 東側 (ひがしがわ, eastern side). あずま is an ancient reading for the east of Japan; it appears in some proper names and in 東屋 (あずまや, garden pavilion).

Remember: the four cardinal points are read ひがし (東), にし (西), みなみ (南) and きた (北); together they form 東西南北 (とうざいなんぼく).

Example words

• 東京 (とうきょう) — Tokyo
• 東口 (ひがしぐち) — east exit
• 東屋 (あずまや) — gazebo; open pavilion

Example sentences

東京は日本の東部にあります。

Tōkyō wa Nihon no toubu ni arimasu.

Tokyo is in eastern Japan.

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.