Kanji N3

由: wherefore, a reason

由 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning wherefore, a reason, written with 5 strokes. It is read ユ, ユウ, ユイ (on) and よし, よる (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 3. You will see it in 自由 (じゆう, freedom) and 理由 (りゆう, reason).

由

Meanings

  • wherefore
  • a reason
Strokes5
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 3
Frequency#325 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ユ
  • ユウ
  • ユイ

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

Kun reading
  • よし
  • よる

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 5. Start at the dot.

Common words with 由

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

  • 自由じゆう

    freedom; liberty

    JLPT N4
  • 理由りゆう

    reason; grounds; pretext; excuse; motive

    JLPT N4
  • 経由けいゆ

    going through; going via; going by way of

    JLPT N3
  • 不自由ふじゆう

    discomfort; inconvenience

    JLPT N3
  • 由よし

    reason; significance; cause

  • 由来ゆらい

    origin; source; history; derivation

  • 自由化じゆうか

    liberalization; liberalisation; freeing

  • 自由形じゆうがた

    freestyle (e.g. swimming event)

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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; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.