What is the Kanji for "Name"?

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

The Japanese Kanji for "Name" is "名".

This kanji has 3 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Na".

Its onyomi readings are "Mei" and "Myou".

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 "夕" means "Evening" and can be read as "Yuu" and "Seki". And The kanji "口" means "Mouth" and can be read as "Ku", "Kuchi", and "Kou".

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

What does the kanji "名" mean in japanese?

"名" means "Name".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in First Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N5 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

名: "Name". The Japanese noun '名 (な)' means 'name'. It refers to the word or words that a person, place, or thing is called. It is used to identify and distinguish one thing from another. For example: My name is Hanako - (私の名前はハナコです). What is your name? - (あなたの名前は何ですか?)

片仮名: "Katakana". The Japanese noun '片仮名 (かたかな)' refers to one of the Japanese writing systems, specifically the one used for writing foreign-derived words and loanwords. Katakana is characterized by angular, rectangular characters and is typically used for emphasis, onomatopoeia, scientific names, and foreign words. For example: My name is written in katakana - (私の名前はカタカナで書かれています). She wrote the foreign word in katakana - (彼女は外来語をカタカナで書いた).

平仮名: "Hiragana". The Japanese word '平仮名 (ひらがな)' refers to the Japanese phonetic writing system consisting of symbols that represent the basic sounds of the Japanese language. Hiragana is one of the three main writing systems used in Japan, along with katakana and kanji. It is generally used for grammatical elements, common words, and words of Japanese origin. For example: He wrote his name in hiragana - (彼はひらがなで名前を書きました).

名前: "Name". The Japanese noun '名前 (なまえ)' refers to the name of a person, place, or thing. It is used to identify and distinguish one entity from others. For example: What is your name? - (あなたの名前は何ですか). My name is Takeshi - (私の名前は武です).

名字: "Surname". The Japanese word '名字 (みょうじ)' refers to a person's family name or surname. It is the part of a person's name that indicates their family or clan. Surnames are an important part of Japanese culture and tradition, and they often carry significant meaning or history. For example: My surname is Tanaka - (私の名字は田中です). What is your surname? - (あなたの名字は何ですか?)

有名: "Famous". The adjectival noun '有名 (ゆうめい)' means 'famous'. This word is used to describe someone or something that is widely known and recognized. It can be applied to people, places, events, or ideas. For example: She is a famous actress - (彼女は有名な女優です). This university is very famous - (この大学は有名です).

送り仮名: "Kana". The Japanese noun '送り仮名 (おくりがな)' refers to the small hiragana characters that are written next to kanji characters to indicate the correct pronunciation. These kana are used to 'guide' or 'accompany' the kanji. For example: 学校 (がっこう) - the small 'がっこう' characters are the おくりがな. The おくりがな help readers understand how to pronounce the kanji correctly.

人名: "Name". The Japanese noun '人名 (じんめい)' means 'name'. This word refers to the name of a person or individual. It can be used to describe someone's given name or full name. For example: What is your name? - (あなたの人名は何ですか). The president's name is Tanaka - (大統領の人名はタナカです).

国名: "Country name". The Japanese word '国名 (こくめい)' refers to the official name of a sovereign state or nation. It is a compound noun consisting of the kanji characters for 'country' (国) and 'name' (名). This term is commonly used to refer to the formal designation of a country, such as 'United States of America' or '日本 (にほん)'. Country names are an important part of geography and international relations. For example: The official country name of Japan is '日本 (にほん)' - (日本の国名は「日本」である)。

名称: "Name". The Japanese noun '名称 (めいしょう)' means 'name'. It refers to the word or words used to identify a specific person, place, or thing. It is commonly used in formal or official contexts such as when referring to the official name of an organization, product, or law. For example: The official name of the company is... - (その会社の正式名称は...)

名誉: "Honor". The Japanese noun '名誉 (めいよ)' means 'honor'. It refers to the good reputation, status, or respect that a person or organization has earned. It can also mean the privilege or recognition associated with an achievement. For example: He received a medal as an honor for his service - (彼は名誉の仕事のメダルを受け取った). The company takes great pride in their name and honor - (その会社は自社の名誉と自尊心を大切にしている).

宛名: "Address". The noun '宛名 (あてな)' refers to the recipient's name and address written on the outside of an envelope, package or other mailing item. It indicates who the item is intended for. For example: Please write the address clearly on the envelope - (封筒に宛名を丁寧に書いてください). The address is written on the package - (宛名が荷物に書いてある).

大名: "Daimyo". The Japanese noun '大名 (だいみょう)' refers to the powerful feudal lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled over the country's provinces. Daimyo were the most powerful feudal lords and controlled large amounts of land and military forces. They were a central part of the feudal system in Japan and held significant political and economic power. For example: The daimyo controlled the samurai warriors - (大名は侍武士を統率していた). The lord of the province was a powerful daimyo - (その地方の主は強力な大名だった).

仮名遣い: "Spelling". The Japanese noun '仮名遣い (かなづかい)' refers to the system of spelling Japanese words using the kana scripts (hiragana and katakana). This includes the rules and conventions for how kana are used to write words. It is an important aspect of the Japanese writing system and language. For example: I need to study the proper kana spelling - (正しいかなづかいを勉強する必要がある).

名乗る: "State" or "Announce". The Japanese verb '名乗る (なのる)' means 'to state' or 'to announce'. It is used when someone publicly identifies themselves, their identity, status or role. For example: I will introduce myself - (私は自分を名乗ります). The candidate name-announced at the rally - (候補者は集会で自分を名乗った).

名付ける: "Name". The Japanese verb '名付ける (なづける)' means 'to name'. It is used to describe the act of giving a name to someone or something. This verb can be used in contexts where a new name is being assigned, such as when naming a child or a new organization. For example: They named the new baby Emi - (新しい赤ちゃんをえみと名付けました). We named our company Sakura Inc. - (私たちの会社を桜株式会社と名付けました).

名詞: "Noun". The Japanese word '名詞 (めいし)' refers to a part of speech that names or identifies a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns are essential building blocks of language and can function as subjects, objects, or complements in a sentence. For example: I bought a book - (本を買いました). The house is big - (家は大きいです).

名義: "Name". The noun '名義 (めいぎ)' means 'name'. It refers to the official or legal designation of a person, organization, or entity. This word is often used in formal or administrative contexts, such as when discussing legal documents, contracts, or official records. For example: The contract was signed under the name of the company - (その契約は会社の名義で署名された). The official name of the university is... - (その大学の名義は...)

署名: "Signature". The Japanese noun '署名 (しょめい)' refers to a person's signature. It is used to officially identify or authorize a document, contract, or other written material. A signature is usually written by hand and serves as a unique identifier for the individual. For example: He signed the document with his signature - (彼は書類に署名した). I need to add my signature here - (ここに私の署名を記入する必要があります).

仮名: "Kana". The Japanese noun '仮名 (かな)' refers to the Japanese script consisting of hiragana and katakana characters. Kana are the phonetic writing system used to represent the basic sounds of the Japanese language, as opposed to the logographic kanji characters. Kana are essential for writing Japanese, as they are used to write words without kanji, as well as to indicate grammatical elements and foreign words. For example: I studied kana - (私は仮名を勉強しました).

地名: "Place name". The Japanese noun '地名 (ちめい)' refers to a proper name that designates a specific geographic location, such as a city, town, village, or region. These names are often derived from the local language or culture and can provide information about the history, geography, or features of a place. For example: Tokyo is the capital city of Japan - (東京は日本の首都です). The town of Kyoto has many historic temples - (京都には多くの歴史的寺院があります).

名人: "Expert". The Japanese noun '名人 (めいじん)' means 'expert'. This term is used to refer to someone who has exceptional skills or knowledge in a particular field. It carries a connotation of high proficiency and mastery, and is often used to describe individuals who have achieved a high level of recognition or status in their area of expertise. For example: He is an expert chess player - (彼は名人チェス棋士だ). The renowned calligrapher is an expert in his craft - (有名な書道家はその技術の名人である).

名所: "Famous place". The Japanese noun '名所 (めいしょ)' means 'famous place'. This word refers to a location or landmark that is widely known and recognized, often attracting many visitors. '名所' can describe both natural and man-made attractions, such as historical sites, scenic landscapes, or popular tourist destinations. For example: She visited many famous places during her trip - (彼女は旅行中たくさんの名所を訪れた). This temple is a famous place in our city - (この寺院は市内の名所です).

名物: "Specialty". The Japanese noun '名物 (めいぶつ)' refers to a specialty or famous local product or dish associated with a particular region or place. It suggests something that is unique, representative or a point of pride for that locality. For example: This restaurant is known for its specialty dishes - (この店は名物料理で有名です). Kyoto is famous for its many local specialties - (京都には名物がたくさんある).

題名: "Title". The Japanese noun '題名 (だいめい)' means 'title'. It refers to the name given to a book, article, work of art, or other piece of creative or intellectual content. A title serves to identify and describe the work. For example: The title of the book is interesting - (その本の題名は興味深いです). What is the title of the painting? - (その絵画の題名は何ですか?)

名刺: "Business card". The Japanese noun '名刺 (めいし)' refers to a small card that contains a person's name, contact information, and possibly their job title or company. It is commonly exchanged when meeting someone new in a professional or formal setting in Japan. For example: I will give you my business card - (私の名刺をあげます). The business card has my name on it - (名刺には私の名前が書いてあります).

名札: "Name tag". The Japanese noun '名札 (なふだ)' means 'name tag'. It refers to a small label or card that is typically worn on one's clothing to identify the wearer's name. Name tags are commonly used in professional settings, such as at conferences or in the workplace, to help people quickly identify each other. For example: Please wear your name tag - (名札をつけてください). The teacher wore a name tag - (先生は名札をしていた).

振り仮名: "Furigana". The noun '振り仮名 (ふりがな)' refers to the small kana characters placed next to kanji characters to indicate their pronunciation. Furigana helps readers understand the reading of kanji words, especially for less common kanji. It is commonly used in books, manga, and other media to aid comprehension. For example: The furigana above the kanji helped me read the word - (漢字の上にあるふりがなで、その言葉の読み方がわかった).

代名詞: "Pronoun". A '代名詞 (だいめいし)' is a pronoun in Japanese. Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns or noun phrases, such as 'he', 'she', 'it', 'they', etc. Some common Japanese pronouns include '私 (わたし)' (I/me), '彼 (かれ)' (he/him), and '彼女 (かのじょ)' (she/her). Pronouns allow speakers to avoid repetition and make sentences more concise. For example: 私は学生です。彼は先生です。(I am a student. He is a teacher.)

名簿: "Roster" or "Register". The Japanese noun '名簿 (めいぼ)' refers to an official list or register containing the names of people, typically in an organization or group. It can be used to describe a list of members, employees, students, or any other group. For example: The class roster is on the teacher's desk - (クラスの名簿は先生の机の上にある). This word is often used in formal or administrative contexts. The two main meanings are 'roster' and 'register'.

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 "め" is read as "me". The hiragana "い" is read as "i". The hiragana "み" is read as "mi". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". And The hiragana "な" is read as "na".

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.