字(じ)

じ
noun
letter, character
language
1. letter, character, writing
A written symbol representing a sound or meaning, including hiragana, katakana, kanji, and letters from other writing systems.
字(じ)が読(よ)めない。
I can't read the characters.
この字(じ)は何(なん)と読(よ)みますか。
How do you read this character?
先生(せんせい)の字(じ)はきれいで読(よ)みやすい。
The teacher's handwriting is neat and easy to read.
もっと大(おお)きい字(じ)で書(か)いてください。小(ちい)さいと読(よ)めません。
Please write in bigger characters. I can't read them if they're small.
日本語(にほんご)の字(じ)は難(むずか)しいと思(おも)っていたが、毎日(まいにち)勉強(べんきょう)したら、だんだん読(よ)めるようになった。
I used to think Japanese characters were hard, but after studying every day, I gradually became able to read them.

字(じ) refers to written characters of any type.

Common collocations

Related words

Note: When talking about handwriting quality, 字(じ) often refers to how nicely someone writes.

Related Words

Compare: 文字(もじ) (character, letter (more formal))
Related: 漢字(かんじ) (kanji)
Related: ローマ字(じ) (Roman letters)
Related: 平仮名(ひらがな) (hiragana)
Related: 片仮名(かたかな) (katakana)
Related: 文章(ぶんしょう) (text, passage, writing (style))
basic
Added 2026.1.9 21:16 · Revised 2026.10.10 4:21
01500/01606_ji