西 — JLPT N5 Kanji

西 (セイ・サイ/にし): west. JLPT N5 essential kanji.

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西

JLPT Level: N5 | Strokes: 6 | Radical: 西 (west)

Readings

Type Reading Romaji Notes
On-yomi セイ、サイ sei, sai sei = west standard; sai = in some words
Kun-yomi にし nishi west

Meanings

  1. West
  2. Western

Vocabulary

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
西 にし nishi west N5
西口 にしぐち nishiguchi west exit N5
西洋 せいよう seiyoo the West, Occident N3
関西 かんさい Kansai Kansai (region) N4
北西 ほくせい hokusei northwest N4

Stroke Order

  1. Top horizontal stroke
  2. Left vertical stroke (curved)
  3. Right vertical stroke (curved)
  4. Inner left diagonal stroke
  5. Inner right diagonal stroke
  6. Bottom horizontal stroke

Memory Aid

西 looks like a bird's nest (a box with inner crossings) — birds return to their nests in the WEST as the sun sets. Sunset = west = going home to the nest.

Common Confusion

西 (west) vs 四 (four) — both have a box-like shape. 西 is taller with inner diagonal strokes; 四 has a more regular box with two inner horizontals.