失
失 — Lose
lose, error, fault, disadvantage, loss
On’yomiシツ (shitsu)
Kun’yomiうしなう (ushinau)
Kun’yomiうせる (useru)
Stroke order (5 strokes)
Watch the strokes draw themselves in the correct order — numbers mark where each stroke starts. Diagram from KanjiVG (CC BY-SA).
Common words using 失
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 失業 | しつぎょう shitsugyou | unemployment; losing one's job; becoming unemployed |
| 損失 | そんしつ sonshitsu | loss (of assets, profit, etc.) |
| 失点 | しってん shitten | lost point (in a game); point given away; conceded goal |
| 失敗 | しっぱい shippai | failure; mistake; blunder |
| 失う | うしなう ushinau | to lose; to miss (a chance, opportunity); to lose (a loved one) |
| 過失 | かしつ kashitsu | accident (caused by negligence); error; blunder |
Study notes
失 is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 5 strokes. It is taught in Japanese elementary school (grade 4), so native children learn it early — a good sign it appears everywhere. Ranked #447 of the 2,500 most frequent kanji in newspapers. On’yomi (音読み) are Chinese-derived readings mostly used in compound words; kun’yomi (訓読み) are native Japanese readings, with any highlighted part written in hiragana after the kanji (okurigana).
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