本 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
本 is one of those wonderfully useful kanji that wears several hats. Its most common everyday meaning is "book" (本 = ほん). But the same character also means "origin," "root," or "main" — the base that something grows from. That's no accident: 本 started as a picture of a tree (木) with a small stroke marking its roots, the origin of the whole tree.
From that "root / origin" idea you get words like 日本 (にほん, "Japan" — literally "origin of the sun"). And on top of all that, 本 doubles as the counter for long, cylindrical things — pens, bottles, umbrellas, trees. So one little kanji covers books, origins, and counting bananas. Not bad for 5 strokes.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| on'yomi | ホン | 本 (book), 日本 (にほん, Japan), 本当 (ほんとう, true), 本屋 (ほんや, bookstore) |
| kun'yomi | もと | 本 (もと, origin/base) — rarer at N5 |
A handy rule of thumb: the on'yomi ホン does almost all the work for 本. It's the reading you'll meet in standalone 本 ("book") and in nearly every compound (日本, 本当, 本屋). The kun'yomi もと ("origin, base") is much less common as a beginner — you'll see it occasionally meaning "root / source," but at N5 you can safely treat ホン as your default and just be aware もと exists.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 5. Write the 木 "tree" part first — top horizontal, then the long vertical, then the left and right diagonals — and finish with the short horizontal stroke across the bottom that marks the root.
- Radical: the radical is 木 (tree). 本 is literally a tree (木) with one extra mark at its base/root, which is exactly where the meanings "origin / root / base" come from. Seeing the tree inside 本 is a great memory hook: the book is "rooted" knowledge, and 日本 is the land at the "root of the sun."
That little bottom stroke is the whole story of this kanji — it points at the tree's root, the origin of everything.
Common words using 本
Notice the counter ～本 in 一本 and 三本: because 本 counts long, thin things, the sound changes depending on the number. You get 一本 (いっぽん), 二本 (にほん), and 三本 (さんぼん). Those little shifts between ほん / ぽん / ぼん trip up every beginner — saying them out loud a few times is the fastest cure.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは本を三冊買いました。
ヤッタンは ほんを さんさつ かいました。
Yattan bought three books.
本 = ほん, the on'yomi ホン, standing alone as 'book.'
モチは日本のアニメが本当に好きです。
モチは にほんの アニメが ほんとうに すきです。
Mochi really loves Japanese anime.
Two ホン words at once: 日本 (にほん) and 本当 (ほんとう, 'really').
弟は鉛筆を一本だけ持っています。
おとうとは えんぴつを いっぽん だけ もっています。
My little brother has only one pencil.
The counter 一本 = いっぽん — note the sound change from ほん to ぽん.
Quick recap
- 本 = book / origin / main, and the counter for long thin objects; 5 strokes; radical 木 (tree).
- ホン is your default reading — standalone 本 ("book") and compounds alike (日本, 本当, 本屋).
- もと (origin/base) is the kun'yomi but rare at N5.
- As a counter, the sound shifts: 一本 いっぽん, 二本 にほん, 三本 さんぼん.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 本 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 本 by itself?
On its own, 本 is read ほん (the on'yomi ホン) and means 'book.' This same ホン reading also appears in most compounds, like 本屋 (ほんや, bookstore) and 本当 (ほんとう, true).
Is 日本 read にほん or にっぽん?
Both are correct! 日本 (Japan) can be read にほん or にっぽん. にほん is the everyday, neutral reading; にっぽん sounds more formal or emphatic and shows up on coins, stamps, and at sporting events. Beginners can safely use にほん.
Why does 本 change sound when counting, like 一本 vs 三本?
本 is the counter for long, thin objects, and Japanese counters often shift sound after certain numbers. So you get 一本 (いっぽん), 二本 (にほん), and 三本 (さんぼん) — ほん becomes ぽん or ぼん depending on the number.
What does the 木 radical tell me about 本?
本 is the 'tree' kanji 木 with one extra stroke marking its root. That root is the 'origin / base,' which is exactly what 本 means beyond 'book' — as in 日本, the 'origin of the sun.'