父 — Kanji Reference

父 (father): 4 strokes, JLPT N5. On: フ. Kun: ちち.

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父

Property Value
Meaning father
Strokes 4
JLPT Level N5
On-reading (音読み) フ
Kun-reading (訓読み) ちち
Radical 父 (chichi - father) [U+7236]

Stroke Order

The kanji 父 is written in 4 strokes following standard top-to-bottom, left-to-right rules:

  1. Stroke 1: A short diagonal stroke starting from the top center, moving down to the left.
  2. Stroke 2: A short diagonal stroke starting from the top center, moving down to the right.
  3. Stroke 3: A horizontal stroke that curves slightly, starting from the left and moving right, connecting the bottom of the first two strokes.
  4. Stroke 4: A long, sweeping stroke starting from the center, moving down and curving slightly to the left (resembling a "hook" or "leg").

Radical Analysis

The kanji 父 is its own radical (部首: 父). Historically, this character is a pictograph representing a hand holding a stone tool or a staff, symbolizing the authority and labor of a father figure in ancient society. The top two strokes represent the hands, and the bottom part represents the tool or the body of the person.

Mnemonic

Imagine a father standing with his arms raised, holding a heavy axe (the bottom part) to chop wood for his family. The top two strokes are his raised hands, and the bottom is the handle of the axe he is swinging down.

On-readings (音読み) with Examples

フ (fu)

Word Reading Romaji English
祖父 そふ sofu grandfather
義父 ぎふ gifu father-in-law
父母 ふぼ fubo parents
父兄 ふけい fukei guardians / parents and older brothers

Kun-readings (訓読み) with Examples

ちち (chichi)

Word Reading Romaji English
父 ちち chichi (my) father
お父さん おとうさん otōsan father (polite/other's father)

JLPT N5 Words Using 父

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
父 ちち chichi father N5
お父さん おとうさん otōsan father N5
祖父 そふ sofu grandfather N4
父母 ふぼ fubo parents N3
義父 ぎふ gifu father-in-law N2

Example Sentences

Japanese Reading Romaji English
私の父は医者です。 わたしのちちは いしゃです。 Watashi no chichi wa isha desu. My father is a doctor.
お父さんは元気ですか。 おとうさんは げんきですか。 Otōsan wa genki desu ka? Is your father well?
祖父は毎日散歩します。 そふは まいにち さんぽします。 Sofu wa mainichi sanpo shimasu. My grandfather takes a walk every day.
父母にプレゼントを買いました。 ふぼに ぷれぜんとを かいました。 Fubo ni purezento o kaimashita. I bought a present for my parents.
父は新聞を読んでいます。 ちちは しんぶんを よんでいます。 Chichi wa shinbun o yonde imasu. My father is reading the newspaper.
彼は義父と一緒に働いています。 かれは ぎふと いっしょに はたらいています。 Kare wa gifu to issho ni hataraite imasu. He is working with his father-in-law.

Common Confusion Pairs

Kanji Reading Meaning How to distinguish
父 ちち father Has a "hook" at the bottom; represents a person.
交 こう intersect The bottom is an 'X' shape (cross); represents crossing/mixing.
斧 おの axe Contains the 父 radical on top, but has a "blade" (斤) radical on the bottom.

Usage Frequency Note

父 is a high-frequency kanji used daily in both formal and informal contexts. When referring to one's own father, 父 (chichi) is used in humble, formal speech, while お父さん (otōsan) is used when speaking to others or referring to someone else's father. It is one of the first family-related kanji taught to beginners.