長 — Kanji Reference

長 (long, chief): 8 strokes, JLPT N5. On: チョウ. Kun: なが-い、おさ.

japanesekanjin5writing

長

Property Value
Meaning long, chief
Strokes 8
JLPT Level N5
On-reading (音読み) チョウ
Kun-reading (訓読み) なが-い、おさ
Radical 長 (naga-i) — U+9577

Stroke Order

The stroke order for 長 follows the standard rule of top-to-bottom and left-to-right. Note the distinct "hook" at the end of the final stroke.

  1. Stroke 1: The short horizontal line at the top.
  2. Stroke 2: The vertical line on the left.
  3. Stroke 3: The horizontal line connecting to the vertical.
  4. Stroke 4: The horizontal line below the first.
  5. Stroke 5: The horizontal line below the second.
  6. Stroke 6: The vertical line on the left side.
  7. Stroke 7: The diagonal line moving down and right.
  8. Stroke 8: The final vertical stroke that ends in a hook (hane).

Radical Analysis

The kanji 長 is a self-radical (it is its own radical). Originally, it depicted a person with long hair or a person walking with a cane, symbolizing someone who has lived a "long" time, hence becoming a "chief" or "leader."

Mnemonic

The Old Chief: Imagine an old, long-haired (the top part) chief (the bottom part) walking with a long cane (the final vertical stroke). Because he has lived a long life, he is the chief of the village.

On-readings (音読み) with Examples

チョウ (Chō)

Word Reading Romaji English
長所 ちょうしょ chōsho strong point
校長 こうちょう kōchō school principal
長男 ちょうなん chōnan eldest son
長期 ちょうき chōki long term

Kun-readings (訓読み) with Examples

なが-い (Naga-i)

Word Reading Romaji English
長い ながい nagai long (distance/time)
長生き ながいき nagaiki longevity

おさ (Osa)

Word Reading Romaji English
長 おさ osa chief / head

JLPT N5 Words Using 長

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
長い ながい nagai long N5
校長 こうちょう kōchō principal N4
長男 ちょうなん chōnan eldest son N4
長所 ちょうしょ chōsho strong point N3
長年 ながねん naganen many years N3
長さ ながさ nagasa length N4
長女 ちょうじょ chōjo eldest daughter N4
部長 ぶちょう buchō department manager N4
社長 しゃちょう shachō company president N4
長引く ながびく nagabiku to drag on N3

Example Sentences

Japanese Reading Romaji English
髪が長いです。 かみがながいです。 Kami ga nagai desu. My hair is long.
彼は会社の社長です。 かれはかいしゃのしゃちょうです。 Kare wa kaisha no shachō desu. He is the company president.
長い間待ちました。 ながいあいだまちました。 Nagai aida machimashita. I waited for a long time.
彼女は長女です。 かのじょはちょうじょです。 Kanojo wa chōjo desu. She is the eldest daughter.
部長に相談します。 ぶちょうにそうだんします。 Buchō ni sōdan shimasu. I will consult the department manager.
この道は長さが1キロあります。 このみちはながさが1キロあります。 Kono michi wa nagasa ga ichi-kiro arimasu. This road is 1 kilometer in length.

Common Confusion Pairs

Kanji Reading Meaning How to distinguish
長 チョウ Long/Chief Has a distinct hook at the bottom right.
氏 シ Surname Lacks the top horizontal strokes; looks like a hook with a dash.
民 ミン People The bottom structure is different; it represents a person's eye being pierced (historical).

Usage Frequency Note

長 is an extremely high-frequency kanji. It appears in almost every level of Japanese communication, from basic descriptions (length) to professional titles (shachō, buchō). It is essential for both daily conversation and formal business writing.