正 — how to write the kanji for “correct”

正 means “correct”, “justice” and “righteous”; it is a JLPT N4 kanji, taught in first grade in Japan. In newspapers it is the 143rd most used kanji. KANJIDIC2 gives it 2 on readings and 4 kun readings, so the word decides how you say it. Its parts: 一 (“one”), stroke 1; 止 (“stop”, its radical), strokes 2–5, each finished before the next. On its own it is the word sei, “(logical) true; regular”. Its common words take the reading sei: 改正 (“revision”), 修正 (“amendment”), 正常 (“normal”) and 正式 (“formal”). Chinese reads it zhèng, “to correct”, at HSK 1.

Strokes

5

JLPT

N4

Radical

止 (“stop”)

On

セイ, ショウ

Kun

ただ·しい, まさ·に, ただ·す