火 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its heart, 火 is simply fire. The shape is a tiny picture of flames: a central flame with sparks flying off to each side. You'll meet it in two roles — as a standalone noun (火, "fire / a flame") and as a building block inside everyday words like 火曜日 ("Tuesday"), 花火 ("fireworks"), and 火山 ("volcano"). The handy payoff is that whenever you see 火 in an unfamiliar word, you can bet it has something to do with fire, heat, or burning — an instant head start on the meaning.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | ひ | 火 (fire), 花火 (はなび, fireworks) |
| kun'yomi | ほ- | 火影 (ほかげ, firelight) — rare |
| on'yomi | カ | 火曜日 (Tuesday), 火事 (a fire/blaze), 火山 (volcano), 火力 (fire power) |
Here's a rule of thumb that works for most kanji, not just this one: the kun'yomi (ひ) tends to show up when the kanji stands alone, while the on'yomi (カ) appears inside two-kanji compound words. So 火 by itself is ひ, but 火曜日 and 火山 use カ. Spotting that pattern early helps you guess readings for kanji you haven't even studied yet.
One word to watch: 花火 ("fireworks") is read はなび, where the 火 softens to a voiced び. This change is called rendaku, and it happens to lots of kanji when they sit at the back of a compound — so it's worth remembering this example as your first taste of it.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 4. Write the central flame first — a short left-leaning stroke, then the longer downward stroke — and finish with the two outer "sparks," left side before right.
- Radical: 火 is its own radical, the "fire" radical (ひ). At the bottom of other kanji it often shrinks into the four-dot form 灬, which still means fire or heat. You'll see that four-dot form in 黒 ("black," from soot) and 点 ("point / to light up").
Recognizing that radical is genuinely useful: meet a new kanji with 灬 along the bottom and you can already guess it's connected to fire, heat, or cooking.
Common words using 火
Notice the reading split in action: lone 火 takes ひ, while the compounds 火曜日, 火事, 火山, and 火力 all flip to カ. The one to flag is 花火 — it keeps the kun'yomi but voices it to び (はなび), the rendaku change mentioned above.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは公園で大きな火を見ました。
ヤッタンは こうえんで おおきな ひを みました。
Yattan saw a big fire in the park.
火 standing alone — the kun'yomi ひ reading.
火曜日にモチと花火を見に行きます。
かようびに モチと はなびを みに いきます。
On Tuesday I'm going to see fireworks with Mochi.
Two readings in one sentence: 火曜日 (カ) and 花火 (はなび, voiced び). A great line for remembering the split.
先生は「火事のときは外に出ましょう」と言いました。
せんせいは「かじの ときは そとに でましょう」と いいました。
Sensei said, In case of a fire, let's go outside.
Quick recap
- 火 = fire; just 4 strokes; it's the "fire" radical itself.
- ひ when it stands alone (火); カ in compounds (火曜日, 火事, 火山).
- 花火 is the exception — read はなび, with 火 voiced to び (rendaku).
- The four-dot form 灬 at a kanji's bottom hints "fire / heat" — as in 黒 and 点.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 火 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 火 on its own vs in 火曜日?
On its own, 火 is the kun'yomi ひ ('fire'). In 火曜日 ('Tuesday') it's the on'yomi カ (かようび). As a rule, compounds take the on'yomi.
Why is 花火 read はなび and not はなひ?
It's a sound change called rendaku: when 火 sits at the back of a compound, its ひ often voices to び. So 花火 ('fireworks') is read はなび.
How many strokes does 火 have?
火 has 4 strokes and is also the 'fire' radical. At the bottom of other kanji it can appear as the four-dot form 灬, as in 黒 (black) and 点 (point).
What does the radical in 火 tell me?
火 is the 'fire' radical. When you see it — or its four-dot form 灬 — in another kanji, the meaning usually relates to fire, heat, or burning, a handy clue for guessing.