質 — how to write the kanji for “substance”
質 means “substance”, “quality” and “matter”; it is a JLPT N4 kanji, taught in fifth grade in Japan. In newspapers it is the 389th most used kanji. KANJIDIC2 gives it 3 on readings and 4 kun readings, so the word decides how you say it. Its parts sit side by side: 斤 (“axe”), strokes 1–4; 斤 (“axe”), strokes 5–8; 貝 (“shellfish”, its radical), strokes 9–15, each finished before the next. On its own it is the word shitsu, “quality; value”. Its common words take the reading shitsu: 質問 (“question”), 実質 (“substance”), 物質 (“material”) and 体質 (“constitution (physical)”). Mainland Chinese writes it 质 (zhì, “character”), an HSK 4 character.
- Strokes
- 15
- JLPT
- N4
- Radical
- 貝 (“shellfish”)
- On
- シツ, シチ, チ
- Kun
- たち, ただ·す, もと
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- Left-falling stroke ㇒topdown and left
- Left-falling stroke ㇒top leftdownwards → down and left
- Horizontal ㇐top leftrightwards
- Vertical ㇑topdownwards
- Left-falling stroke ㇒top rightdown and left
- Left-falling stroke ㇒topdownwards → down and left
- Horizontal ㇐toprightwards
- Vertical ㇑top rightdownwards
- Vertical ㇑leftdownwards
- Horizontal-turn ㇕leftrightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottom leftrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottom leftrightwards
- Left-falling stroke ㇒bottomdown and left
- Dot ㇔bottomdown and right
Japanese and Chinese
The two models differ in shape, so our comparison does not claim an order; compare the numbered frames yourself (15 strokes in Japanese, 15 strokes in Chinese).
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- シツ shitsu, シチ shichi, チ chi
- Kun (native)
- たち tachi (rare), ただ·す tada-su (rare), もと moto (rare), わりふ warifu (rare)
- Meanings
- substance; quality; matter; temperament
- Read shitsu
- 質問 実質 物質 体質 実質的 質疑
- Read shichi
- 人質
- School year
- fifth grade
- Newspaper rank
- 389th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 질 jil
- Common words
- 40 in JMdict
Words with 質
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 質問 | しつもん shitsumon | question; inquiry |
| 実質 | じっしつ jisshitsu | substance; essence |
| 物質 | ぶっしつ busshitsu | material; substance |
| 体質 | たいしつ taishitsu | constitution (physical); physical make-up |
| 実質的 | じっしつてき jisshitsuteki | substantial; real |
| 質疑 | しつぎ shitsugi | question; interpellation |
| 本質 | ほんしつ honshitsu | essence; true nature |
| 人質 | ひとじち hitojichi | hostage |
| 品質 | ひんしつ hinshitsu | quality |
| 水質 | すいしつ suishitsu | water quality |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N4, in list order: