Kanji N3

側: side, lean, oppose

側 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning side, lean, oppose, written with 11 strokes. It is read ソク (on) and かわ, がわ, そば (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 4. You will see it in 側 (そば, near by) and 側面 (そくめん, side).

側

Meanings

  • side
  • lean
  • oppose
  • regret
Strokes11
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 4
Frequency#216 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ソク

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • かわ
  • がわ
  • そば

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

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Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 11. Start at the dot.

Common words with 側

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 側そば

    (place) near by; (place) close by

    JLPT N5
  • 側面そくめん

    side; flank; profile; sidelight; lateral

    JLPT N1
  • 両側りょうがわ

    both sides

    JLPT N2
  • 縁側えんがわ

    engawa

    JLPT N1
  • 西側にしがわ

    west side; west bank

  • 側近そっきん

    close aide (of a powerful person)

  • 北側きたがわ

    north side; north bank

  • 内側うちがわ

    inside; interior; inner part

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY.