来 — how to write the kanji for “come”

来 means “come”, “due” and “next”; it is a JLPT N5 kanji, taught in second grade in Japan. In newspapers it is the 102nd most used kanji. KANJIDIC2 gives it 2 on readings and 7 kun readings, so the word decides how you say it. KANJIDIC2 files it under the radical 木 (“tree”). On its own it is the word rai, “next (year, spring, etc.); coming”. Its common words take the reading rai: 以来 (“since”), 将来 (“future”), 従来 (“up to now”) and 来年 (“next year”). Chinese reads it lái, “to come”, at HSK 1.

Strokes: 7
JLPT: N5
Radical: 木 (“tree”)
On: ライ, タイ
Kun: き·たる, く·る, きた·る

Stroke by stroke

Horizontal ㇐top leftrightwards
Dot ㇔top leftdown and right
Left-falling stroke ㇒top rightdown and left
Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
Vertical ㇑topdownwards
Left-falling stroke ㇒centerdown and left
Right-falling stroke ㇏centerdown and right

Japanese and Chinese

Japanese and Chinese draw all 7 strokes in the same order and direction, by our stroke-by-stroke comparison.

Japanese · KanjiVG · 7 strokes

Chinese · Make Me a Hanzi · 7 strokes

Trace it

Follow the numbers. Tracing help

Readings

On (Chinese-derived): ライ rai, タイ tai
Kun (native): き·たる ki-taru, く·る ku-ru, きた·る kita-ru (rare), きた·す kita-su (rare), き·たす ki-tasu (rare), き ki (rare), こ ko (rare)
Meanings: come; due; next; cause; become
Read rai: 以来将来従来来年本来来日
School year: second grade
Newspaper rank: 102nd of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
Korean hanja: 래 rae
Common words: 52 in JMdict

On and kun, explained

Words with 来

Word	Reading	Meaning
以来	いらい irai	since; henceforth
将来	しょうらい shourai	future; (future) prospects
従来	じゅうらい juurai	up to now; so far
来年	らいねん rainen	next year
本来	ほんらい honrai	originally; primarily
来日	らいにち rainichi	coming to Japan; visit to Japan
来月	らいげつ raigetsu	next month
未来	みらい mirai	(distant) future; future existence
来春	らいしゅん raishun	next spring
来週	らいしゅう raishuu	next week

Most common first (JMdict).

Practice sheet

Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.

Keep going

Same parts:

JLPT N5, in list order: