左 — how to write the kanji for “left”
左 (“left”) is a JLPT N5 kanji taught in first grade in Japan. It is also where hiragana さ came from. On its own it is the word hidari, “left; left-hand side”. Its native reading hidari leads in its common words, as in 向かって左 (“on the left as one faces (it)”) and 左腕 (“left arm”); read sa it forms 左翼 (“left wing”). Chinese reads it zuǒ, “left”, at HSK 2.
- Strokes
- 5
- JLPT
- N5
- Radical
- 工 (“craft”)
- On
- サ, シャ
- Kun
- ひだり
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Left-falling stroke ㇒topdown and left
- Horizontal ㇐centerrightwards
- Vertical ㇑centerdownwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottom leftrightwards
Japanese and Chinese
Japanese and Chinese draw all 5 strokes in the same order and direction, by our stroke-by-stroke comparison.
Kana from 左
- Hiragana さ, cursive of the whole kanji
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- サ sa, シャ sha (rare)
- Kun (native)
- ひだり hidari
- Meanings
- left
- Read hidari
- 向かって左 左腕 左前 左手 左側 左利き
- Read sa
- 左翼 左右 左派 左記
- School year
- first grade
- Newspaper rank
- 630th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 좌 jwa
- Common words
- 15 in JMdict
Words with 左
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 向かって左 | むかってひだり mukattehidari | on the left as one faces (it) |
| 左翼 | さよく sayoku | left wing; left wing |
| 左右 | さゆう sayuu | left and right; right and left |
| 左派 | さは saha | left wing |
| 左腕 | ひだりうで hidariude | left arm; left-handed (baseball pitcher) |
| 左前 | ひだりまえ hidarimae | wearing a kimono with the right side over the left… |
| 左手 | ひだりて hidarite | left hand; left-hand side |
| 左側 | ひだりがわ hidarigawa | left side; left-hand side |
| 左記 | さき saki | undermentioned (statement); the following |
| 左利き | ひだりきき hidarikiki | left-handedness; left-handed person |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N5, in list order: