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back, behind

JLPT N3 Grade 6 9 strokes
Kun'yomi
せ・せい・そむ.く・そむ.ける
On'yomi
ハイ
Radical
· moon (moon, month, also flesh)

背 means "back, behind". It is a JLPT N3 kanji written in 9 strokes. It is read せ・せい・そむ.く・そむ.ける in native Japanese words (kun'yomi) and ハイ in compounds (on'yomi). Japanese schoolchildren learn it in grade 6.

背 in example sentences

  • せなかい[いたい]。

    Senaka ga itai.

    My back aches.

  • せなかいたむ。

    Senaka ga itamu.

    My back hurts.

  • せなかかいて。

    Senaka kaite.

    Scratch my back.

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 背

More (moon) kanji

Common questions

What does the kanji 背 mean?
背 means "back, behind". It is a JLPT N3 kanji.
How many strokes does 背 have?
背 is written in 9 strokes.
How is 背 read?
It is read せ・せい・そむ.く・そむ.ける in native Japanese words (kun'yomi) and ハイ in compounds (on'yomi).
What JLPT level is 背?
背 is a JLPT N3 kanji.