Kanji Library
KanjiJLPT N3 › 示

示 — Show

JLPT N35 strokesGrade 5#237 most used
show, indicate, point out, express, display
On’yomi (ji)
On’yomi (shi)
Kun’yomiしめ (shimesu)

Stroke order (5 strokes)

1 2 3 4 5

Watch the strokes draw themselves in the correct order — numbers mark where each stroke starts. Diagram from KanjiVG (CC BY-SA).

Common words using 示

WordReadingMeaning
指示しじ
shiji
indication; denotation; designation
表示ひょうじ
hyouji
indication; expression; showing
示すしめす
shimesu
to (take out and) show; to demonstrate; to tell
展示てんじ
tenji
exhibition; display
開示かいじ
kaiji
release (of information, documents, etc.); disclosure; display
告示こくじ
kokuji
notice; bulletin

Study notes

示 is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 5 strokes. It is taught in Japanese elementary school (grade 5), so native children learn it early — a good sign it appears everywhere. Ranked #237 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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