Today’s Kanji -One 一 (ichi) – Learn Japanese

The kanji for the number one in Japanese is一, pronounced ” ichi “. If you look at its shape, you will notice that it resembles a vertical straight line. This is not a coincidence, as the kanji 一 simply represents the concept of ” one” or “only one” . It is one of the most basic and easy to recognize kanji.

But the kanji 一goes beyond its function as a number symbol. In Japanese culture, this kanji has a number of additional meanings and connotations.

Also, the kanji 一is used in many everyday words and phrases in Japanese. For example, ” ichiban ” translates to ” the first” or “the best “, and is used to refer to something that is superior or of high quality. You can also find the kanji in the words “i chinichi ” (one day) or “i chimai ” (a piece of paper), where it is used to count objects in a specific way.

One interesting thing about the kanji for the number one is its similarity to other quantity-related kanji, such as the kanji for the numbers 2 through 9. These kanji are basically modified versions of the kanji 一, with additional lines representing the corresponding quantity. This consistent visual structure makes it easy to understand and learn numbers in Japanese.

Here are some examples of Japanese words that use the kanji for the number one (一):

1.一番 (ichiban) : It means “the first” or “the best”. It is used to refer to something that is in the highest or superior position.

2.一人 (hitori) : Means “one person” or “only”. It is used to indicate that someone is alone or has no company.

3.一度 (ichido) : Means “once” or “an occasion”. It is used to indicate the number of times something has happened.

4.一緒 (issho) : It means “together” or “in company”. It is used to express the idea of ​​doing something together with another person.

5.一冊 (issatsu) : Means “a book” or “a volume”. It is used to count books or magazines.

6.一つ (hitotsu) : Means “one” or “one”. It is used to count objects in general.

7.一日 (ichinichi) : Means “one day.” It is used to refer to a 24-hour period.

8.一週間 (isshūkan) : Means “one week”. It is used to indicate a duration of seven days.

9.一人前 (ichininmae) : Means “a portion” or “a serving.” It is used to refer to an amount of food or the right amount for a person.

10.一言 (hitokoto) : Means “a word” or “a comment”. It is used to express a brief statement or opinion.

Remember that learning kanji can be a challenging process, but also a rewarding one. Keep exploring and enjoying the richness of the Japanese language!