字(じ)

じ
noun
letter, character
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 character.
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:

  • 字(じ)を書(か)く: to write characters
  • 字(じ)を読(よ)む: to read characters
  • 字(じ)が上手(じょうず)/下手(へた): good/bad handwriting
  • 漢字(かんじ): Chinese characters (kanji)
  • ローマ字(じ): Roman letters

RELATED TERMS:

  • 文字(もじ): character, letter (more formal)
  • ひらがな: hiragana
  • カタカナ: katakana
  • 漢字(かんじ): kanji

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

basic
Added 2026.1.9 21:16 · Revised 2026.3.14 8:04
01500/01606_ji