Skip to content
刺

thorn, stab

JLPT N2 8 strokes
Kun'yomi
さ.す・さ.さる・さ.し・さし
On'yomi
シ
Radical
刀 · knife (knife, blade)

刺 means "thorn, stab". It is a JLPT N2 kanji written in 8 strokes. It is read さ.す・さ.さる・さ.し・さし in native Japanese words (kun'yomi) and シ in compounds (on'yomi). It is taught beyond elementary school (junior high and up).

刺 in example sentences

  • 刺青しせいがあるの？

    Shisei ga aru no?

    Do you have a tattoo?

  • 名刺めいし、持もってる？

    Meishi, motteru?

    Do you have a business card?

  • 蜂はちに刺さ[ささ]れました。

    Hachi ni sasaremashita.

    I got a bee sting.

Example sentences from the Tatoeba Project, licensed CC-BY 2.0 FR.

Stroke order & writing

Want more? Practice writing from memory. Stroke-order and animation sources are on our credits page.

Words that use 刺

More 刀 (knife) kanji

Common questions

What does the kanji 刺 mean?
刺 means "thorn, stab". It is a JLPT N2 kanji.
How many strokes does 刺 have?
刺 is written in 8 strokes.
How is 刺 read?
It is read さ.す・さ.さる・さ.し・さし in native Japanese words (kun'yomi) and シ in compounds (on'yomi).
What JLPT level is 刺?
刺 is a JLPT N2 kanji.
Explore on the kanji map → Practice kanji