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JLPT N55画 · 5 strokesradical 工grade 1freq #2150

left

On'yomi (音読み)

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • ひだ.り

Mnemonic

In a factory (工), the workers all turned left (左) to find the exit when the whistle blew.

About this kanji

The kanji 「左」 means "left." It is used both as a noun and in verbs, typically to indicate direction. In everyday conversations, you might hear it in compounds like 左側 (ひだりがわ), which means "left side," and 左手 (ひだりて), meaning "left hand." Another common use is in 左折 (させつ), which translates to "left turn," helping you navigate in Japanese-speaking areas. Remember that in Japanese, directions like left and right are often very important, so getting comfortable with this kanji will benefit you as you learn more. It's a simple yet essential part of language and direction.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 左に曲がってください。

    Please turn left.

Meanings across languages

English
left
Tiếng Việt
trái
日本語
한국어
왼쪽
中文
id
kiri
th
ซ้าย
es
izquierda
fr
gauche
de
links
pt
esquerda

Common compounds

  • 左側ひだりがわleft side
  • 左手ひだりてleft hand
  • 左折させつleft turn

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