nun
On'yomi (音読み)
- ニ
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
- あま
About this kanji
The kanji 「尼」 primarily means "nun," referring to a woman who has devoted her life to religious service, often in Buddhism. This kanji is commonly used in compound words. For example, 「尼僧」(にそう) means "Buddhist nun." You will also encounter this kanji in words like 「尼羅」(ナイル), which stands for the Nile River, and even in place names like 「雪特尼」(シドニー), referring to Sydney, Australia. Although it is not used as a standalone verb, it remains an important kanji in names and religious contexts. Note that the readings can vary significantly depending on the compound, so it's good to familiarize yourself with these variations.
Example sentences
尼僧の教えを受けた。
I received teachings from a nun.
Meanings across languages
- English
- nun
- Tiếng Việt
- ni cô
- 日本語
- 尼, 修道女
- 한국어
- 수녀
- 中文
- 尼姑
- id
- biarawati
- th
- แม่ชี
- es
- monja
- fr
- nonne
- de
- Nonne
- pt
- freira
Common compounds
- 尼僧Buddhist nun, Catholic nun, sister
- 尼羅Nile (river)
- 雪特尼Sydney (Australia)
- 突尼斯Tunisia
- 馬尼剌Manila (Philippines)
- 安母尼亜ammonia
- 尼加拉瓦Nicaragua
- 印度尼西亜Indonesia
Words using this kanji
Want to actually learn this kanji?
The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.