What is the Kanji for "Line"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Line", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Line" is "線".

This kanji has 1 reading:

Its onyomi reading is "Sen".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "糸" means "Thread" and can be read as "Ito" and "Shi". And The kanji "泉" means "Spring" and "Fountain" and can be read as "Sen" and "Izumi".

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "線" mean in japanese?

"線" means "Line".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N2 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

線: "Line". The noun '線 (せん)' means 'line'. This word is used to refer to a thin, continuous mark or stroke, such as a drawn or printed line on a page, a line on a map, or a line of text. It can also be used to describe abstract concepts like a line of reasoning or a timeline. For example: This map has many lines on it - (この地図には多くの線がある). The line at the store is long - (店の列は長い).

視線: "Gaze". The Japanese noun '視線 (しせん)' refers to a person's line of sight or the direction in which their eyes are focused. It can convey the idea of someone paying close attention or observing something intently. For example: Her gaze was fixed on the stage - (彼女の視線は舞台に集中していた). I felt their gaze upon me - (私はその視線を感じた)

新幹線: "Bullet train". The Japanese noun '新幹線 (しんかんせん)' refers to the high-speed rail network in Japan, commonly known as the 'bullet train'. These trains are characterized by their sleek, aerodynamic design and impressive speeds, often reaching over 200 mph. The 新幹線 network connects major cities across the country, providing a fast and efficient mode of transportation. For example: I took the bullet train to Tokyo - (東京に新幹線で行きました).

水平線: "Horizon". The Japanese noun '水平線 (すいへいせん)' refers to the line where the sky and earth or sea appear to meet. This is known as the 'horizon'. The horizon is the apparent line that divides the visible portion of the earth's surface from the sky. For example: I could see the horizon from the top of the hill - (丘の上から水平線が見えた). The sun set below the horizon - (太陽が水平線の下に沈んだ).

幹線: "Main line". The Japanese noun '幹線 (かんせん)' refers to a 'main line', which typically denotes a major transportation route such as a highway, railway, or communications network. This word is often used to distinguish these primary, high-capacity routes from smaller, secondary routes. For example: The traffic on the main line highway was very heavy - (幹線道路の交通は非常に込み合っていた). Our company's main line of business is manufacturing - (当社の幹線事業は製造業です).

路線: "Route". The Japanese noun '路線 (ろせん)' refers to a specific route or line, such as a railway line, bus route, or a designated path. It is used to describe the defined course or trajectory of a transportation system. For example: The train runs on this route - (電車はこの路線を通っています). The bus route goes through the city center - (バスの路線は市の中心部を通ります).

直線: "Line". The Japanese noun '直線 (ちょくせん)' means 'line'. This noun refers to a straight line, as opposed to a curved or irregular line. It can be used to describe a physical line, such as a line on a page or a line marking a path, as well as more abstract concepts, such as the direction or course of an action. For example: The shortest distance between two points is a straight line - (2点間の最短距離は直線である). Draw a straight line - (直線を引く).

線路: "Track" or "Line". The Japanese noun '線路 (せんろ)' means 'track' or 'line'. It is used to refer to the rails or pathway that trains or other rail vehicles travel on. This word is commonly used in the context of railway transportation, such as a train track or railroad line. For example: The train is on the track - (列車は線路の上を走っている). We need to check the train tracks for any damage - (列車の線路に損傷がないかを確認する必要がある).

電線: "Wire". The Japanese noun '電線 (でんせん)' means 'wire'. This word refers to a metallic conductor used for transmitting electricity or signals. It is commonly used to describe the cables or cords that carry electrical current from one place to another. For example: The new power lines were installed along the street - (新しい電線が道路に沿って設置されました). The telephone wire is broken - (電話の電線が壊れています).

脱線: "Digression". The verbal noun '脱線 (だっせん)' means 'digression'. It refers to an instance where one departs from the main topic or point of discussion. It suggests straying away from the original subject or intent. For example: The speaker's talk often veered off into digressions - (話者のスピーチはしばしば脱線に逸れていた). He tended to go off on digressions during the meeting - (彼は会議中によく脱線する傾向があった).

白線: "Line". The Japanese word '白線 (はくせん)' means 'line'. This noun refers to a white marking on a road or floor, usually used to separate lanes of traffic or denote specific areas. It is commonly seen on roads, in parking lots, on sports courts, etc. For example: The car is parked over the white line - (車は白線の上に停まっている). There are white lines on the basketball court - (バスケットコートには白線がある).

地平線: "Horizon". The Japanese noun '地平線 (ちへいせん)' refers to the line where the earth and sky appear to meet. This is the horizon that can be seen in the distance, especially when looking at a flat landscape or the ocean. The horizon is an important reference point for navigation and orientation. Example sentences: I could see the sun setting on the horizon - (地平線に沈む夕日が見えた). The horizon seemed to stretch on forever - (地平線が果てしなく続いているように見えた).

曲線: "Curve". The Japanese noun '曲線 (きょくせん)' refers to a curved line or a line that is not straight. It can be used to describe the shape of an object, a path, or even a graph. Curved lines are often found in nature and in various forms of art and design. For example: The road has a gentle curve - (道は緩やかな曲線をなしている). The design of the building features beautiful curves - (その建物のデザインは美しい曲線を有している).

無線: "Wireless". The Japanese noun '無線 (むせん)' means 'wireless'. This noun refers to the transmission and reception of signals or messages without the use of wires or cables. It is commonly used to describe technologies such as radio, WiFi, and Bluetooth. For example: This phone has wireless charging - (このスマートフォンは無線充電ができます). The wireless router is located in the corner - (無線ルーターは角の位置にあります).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "せ" is read as "se". And The hiragana "ん" is read as "n".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.