時 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its heart, 時 is about time — both time in general and clock time. You'll meet it in two roles: as a standalone noun (時, "time / a moment / when") and as a building block in compound words about hours and schedules (時間 "time / an hour," 一時 "one o'clock," 何時 "what time"). The little 日 ("sun / day") on the left is a clue: telling time has always started with watching the sun, so the radical fits the meaning nicely.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | とき | 時 (time / when), 子供の時 (when I was a child) |
| kun'yomi | -どき | 時々 (sometimes), 昼時 (lunchtime) — voiced in compounds |
| on'yomi | ジ | 時間 (time / an hour), 一時 (one o'clock), 何時 (what time) |
Here's a rule of thumb that works for most kanji, not just this one: the kun'yomi (とき) tends to show up when the kanji stands more or less alone, while the on'yomi (ジ) appears inside two-kanji compound words. So 子供の時 uses とき, but 時間 and 一時 use ジ. Telling the clock is always ジ: 一時 (いちじ) "one o'clock," 二時 (にじ) "two o'clock," and 何時 (なんじ) "what time?"
Note the kun reading とき also matches the grammar point とき ("when"), as in 食べる時 "when I eat" — same kanji, same idea of a moment in time.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 10, written left to right — the 日 part on the left first, then the 寺 part on the right, top to bottom.
- Radical: the left-hand element is 日, the "sun / day" radical (にち / ひ). It marks 時 as a word about time, days, and the sun. You'll see the same 日 in other time-and-sun kanji like 日 (day), 曜 (day of the week), and 晴 (clear weather).
Recognizing that radical is genuinely useful: spot 日 on the left of a new kanji and you can often guess it has something to do with time, days, or the sun.
Common words using 時
Notice the reading split in action: the lone noun 時 takes とき, while clock words and 時間 flip to ジ. One word breaks the pattern, though: 時計 (とけい), "clock / watch," is an irregular reading you simply have to memorize — it's neither plain ジ nor plain とき. Also watch 時々 (ときどき), "sometimes," where the 々 repeats 時 and the second one voices to どき.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは子供の時、よく公園で遊びました。
ヤッタンは こどもの とき、よく こうえんで あそびました。
When Yattan was a child, he often played in the park.
時 standing alone = the kun'yomi とき, 'time / when.'
モチ、今は何時ですか。一時ですよ。
モチ、いまは なんじ ですか。いちじ ですよ。
Mochi, what time is it now? It's one o'clock.
Both clock words use the on'yomi ジ: 何時 (なんじ) and 一時 (いちじ).
弟は時計を見て、時々おくれます。
おとうとは とけいを みて、ときどき おくれます。
My little brother looks at the clock, but sometimes he's late.
Two tricky readings: 時計 (とけい) is irregular, and 時々 (ときどき) voices the second 時 to どき.
Quick recap
- 時 = time / hour / o'clock; 10 strokes; the 日 "sun / day" radical sits on the left.
- とき when it stands alone (子供の時, 食べる時); ジ in compounds and clock times (時間, 一時, 何時).
- Memorize the irregular 時計 (とけい), and remember 時々 (ときどき) voices to どき.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 時 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 時 when telling the time?
Use the on'yomi ジ. 一時 is いちじ ('one o'clock'), 二時 is にじ ('two o'clock'), and 何時 is なんじ ('what time?'). Clock times always take ジ.
Why is 時計 read とけい?
時計 ('clock / watch') is an irregular reading — it's neither the plain on'yomi ジ nor the plain kun'yomi とき. It's a common N5 word, so it's best to just memorize it as とけい.
What's the reading of 時 in 時々?
時々 is read ときどき ('sometimes'). The 々 mark repeats 時, and the second one voices from とき to どき, a common sound change in repeated words.
What does the radical in 時 tell me?
The left side is the 日 'sun / day' radical. It signals that the kanji relates to time, days, or the sun — a handy clue when you meet new kanji built with 日.