川 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its heart, 川 means a river or stream — flowing water moving through the land. The shape is one of the friendliest in all of kanji: three downward strokes that picture water running between two banks. Once you see the river in it, you'll never mistake it.
In daily life you'll almost always meet 川 with its kun reading かわ: on its own (川 "a river"), in everyday words like 小川 "a brook," and inside countless place names and surnames. The on'yomi セン is much rarer and mostly turns up in stiff, written words such as 河川 "rivers (as a category)." So unlike many kanji, here the kun reading does nearly all the work.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | かわ | 川 (river), 小川 (brook), 川上 (upstream) |
| on'yomi | セン | 河川 (かせん, rivers — formal/written) |
For most kanji the on'yomi rules the compounds, but 川 is a happy exception: the kun reading かわ appears in nearly everything you'll actually say, including the compounds 小川 and 川上. The on'yomi セン is essentially limited to formal, paired vocabulary like 河川. If you simply learn かわ, you're already covered for almost every situation at the N5 level.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 3, written left to right — the short left stroke first, then the middle, then the longer right stroke that curves slightly. Three quick strokes and you're done.
- Radical: 川 is its own radical, the "river" radical (かわ). You may also see it in a flowing variant 巛 at the top of a few kanji. The idea behind it is always water in motion.
Here's the memory hook: the three strokes are the water. Picture a river seen from above — two banks and the current rushing down the middle. That's literally the shape, so 川 is one kanji you can draw from memory after seeing it once.
Common words using 川
Notice the pattern: the standalone 川 and the everyday compounds 小川 and 川上 all keep the kun reading かわ, while only the formal, paired word 河川 switches to the on'yomi セン. That's the opposite of most kanji, where compounds usually flip to the on'yomi — so 川 is worth remembering as a "kun does it all" character.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは川で泳ぐのが大好きです。
ヤッタンは かわで およぐのが だいすきです。
Yattan loves swimming in the river.
川 standing alone — the kun'yomi かわ reading.
モチと弟は小川で小さな魚を見つけた。
モチと おとうとは おがわで ちいさな さかなを みつけた。
Mochi and (my) little brother found a tiny fish in the brook.
小川 (おがわ) keeps the kun reading かわ → がわ, voiced inside the compound.
先生は「この町の河川はとてもきれいです」と言いました。
せんせいは「この まちの かせんは とても きれいです」と いいました。
Sensei said, The rivers in this town are very clean.
河川 (かせん) uses the on'yomi セン — the formal, written reading.
Quick recap
- 川 = river / stream; just 3 strokes; it's the "river" radical itself, and the shape pictures flowing water.
- かわ does almost all the work — standalone (川) and in everyday compounds (小川, 川上, 川口).
- セン is rare and formal, mainly in 河川 (かせん, "rivers").
- In names, かわ often voices to がわ (e.g., 江戸川 = えどがわ).
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 川 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 川 by itself?
On its own, 川 is read かわ and means 'river.' This kun'yomi is by far the most common reading you'll use day to day.
When is 川 read セン instead of かわ?
The on'yomi セン appears only in formal, written compounds — most often 河川 (かせん, 'rivers' as a category). In everyday words like 小川 and 川上, it stays かわ.
Why does 川 sometimes sound like がわ in names?
In proper names, the かわ reading often voices (rendaku) to がわ, as in 江戸川 (えどがわ). It's the same kanji and meaning — just a softened sound inside the name.
How many strokes does 川 have?
川 has 3 strokes, written left to right, and is also the 'river' radical. The three strokes picture water flowing between two banks.