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左

left
Stroke count: 5

Readings

On readingサ、シャ
Kun readingひだり
JLPT level: N5JōyōGrade 1

Meanings

  1. leftRtK
  1. left-hand side
  2. left hand
  3. the left (wing)
  4. leftist

Synonyms

レフト右

Popular Usage

左右

Radicals and components

Radical工work
How it's built
左
  • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

by one’s side · craft (工)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 81

Compound words

左右さゆう
left and right; right and left; (asserting) control; influence; domination
左右するさゆうする
left and right
左記さき
undermentioned (statement); the following; at left
左手ひだりて
left hand; left-hand side; left-hand direction; (on) the left
左上ひだりうえ
upper left
左折させつ
turning to the left; left turn
左遷させん
demotion; relegation; reduction in rank; degradation; downward move
左前ひだりまえ
wearing a kimono with the right side over the left (normally used only for the dead); downturn; recession; economic adversity; being in a bad financial situation
左足ひだりあし
left foot; left leg
左派さは
left wing
左翼さよく
left wing; left wing (of a bird or aircraft); left wing (of an army, building, etc.); left flank; left field
左側ひだりがわ
left side; left-hand side
左腕ひだりうで
left arm; left-handed (baseball pitcher)
左利きひだりきき
left-handedness; left-handed person; left-hander; fondness for alcohol; person who is fond of alcohol
右往左往うおうさおう
moving about in confusion; going every which way; going this way and that
向かって左むかってひだり
on the left as one faces (it)
左下ひだりした
lower left
左官さかん
plasterer
左岸さがん
left bank (of a river)
左舷さげん
port (left side of vessel)
左行さぎょう
the "sa" column of the Japanese syllabary table (sa, shi, su, se, so)
左脳さのう
left brain
左卍ひだりまんじ
left-facing swastika
左袒さたん
friendship

On Reading Examples

彼は怒って首を左右に振った。さゆう
He gave an angry shake of his head.tatoeba
彼は左右交互に手を上げた。さゆう
He raised his hands one after the other.tatoeba
彼は左右を見回した。さゆう
He looked around.tatoeba
彼は鏡の中に自分の姿を見ようと体を左右に回した。さゆう
He turned round from side to side to look at himself in the mirror.tatoeba

Kun Reading Examples

彼は左手にけがをした。ひだりて
He hurt his left hand.tatoeba
彼は左手でボールをキャッチした。ひだりて
He caught the ball with his left hand.tatoeba
彼は急に左へ曲がった。ひだり
He turned sharp left.tatoeba
彼は間違って右ではなく左へ曲がってしまった。ひだり
By mistake, he turned left instead of right.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は倒れた時左足をけがした。
He hurt his left foot when he fell.tatoeba
彼は倒れたときに左足をけがした。
He hurt his left foot when he fell.tatoeba
彼は怒って首を左右に振った。
He gave an angry shake of his head.tatoeba
彼は左腕を骨折した。
He broke his left arm.tatoeba

Stroke Order

5 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 左

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step