木 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its heart, 木 is all about trees and wood. It started life as a simple drawing of a tree: a trunk down the middle, branches reaching up, and roots spreading out below. You'll meet it in two roles — as a standalone noun (木 "a tree," 木の葉 "leaves") and as a building block inside compound words about timber, days of the week, and woodwork (木曜日 "Thursday," 木材 "lumber," 材木 "timber"). The nice payoff is that whenever you spot 木 in an unfamiliar word, you can bet it relates to trees or wood — an instant head start on the meaning.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | き | 木 (a tree, wood), 木の葉 (こ-, leaves) |
| kun'yomi | こ- | 木の葉 (このは, leaves) — prefix form |
| on'yomi | モク | 木曜日 (Thursday), 木材 (lumber) |
| on'yomi | ボク | 大木 (たいぼく, a big tree) |
Here's a rule of thumb that works for most kanji, not just this one: the kun'yomi (き) tends to show up when the kanji stands more or less alone, while the on'yomi (モク / ボク) appears inside two-kanji compound words. So 木 by itself is き, but 木曜日 uses モク. The reading こ- is a special prefix form you'll mostly see in 木の葉 (このは, "leaves"). Spotting these patterns early will help you guess readings for kanji you haven't even studied yet.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 4, written in a fixed order — the horizontal line first, then the long vertical stroke down the middle, then the two diagonal "branch" strokes (left, then right).
- Radical: 木 is its own radical, the "tree" radical (き). On the left side of other kanji it stays as 木 and signals "tree, plant, or wood." You'll see it in 林 (woods — two trees), 森 (forest — three trees), and 校 (school), among many others.
Recognizing that radical is genuinely useful: meet a new kanji with 木 on the left and you can already guess it's plant- or wood-adjacent.
Common words using 木
Notice the reading split in action: the lone noun 木 takes き, while compounds flip to the on'yomi — 木曜日 and 木材 use モク, and 大木 uses ボク. The odd one out is 木の葉 (このは), where 木 takes the special prefix reading こ-. That's a great word to memorize on its own.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは大きな木の下で昼寝をした。
ヤッタンは おおきな きの したで ひるねを した。
Yattan took a nap under a big tree.
木 — the kun'yomi き reading, standing alone as a noun.
モチは木曜日に日本語の教室へ行きます。
モチは もくようびに にほんごの きょうしつへ いきます。
Mochi goes to Japanese class on Thursday.
木曜日 — the on'yomi モク reading inside a compound.
先生は「秋になると木の葉が赤くなりますね」と言いました。
せんせいは「あきに なると このはが あかく なりますね」と いいました。
Sensei said, When autumn comes, the leaves turn red, don't they.
木の葉 — the special prefix reading こ- (このは).
Quick recap
- 木 = tree / wood; 4 strokes; it's the "tree" radical itself.
- き when it stands alone (木); モク / ボク in compounds (木曜日, 大木).
- Watch for the special prefix reading こ- in 木の葉 (このは, "leaves").
- The 木 radical on a kanji's left hints "tree/plant/wood" — as in 林, 森, and 校.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 木 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 木 by itself vs in 木曜日?
On its own, 木 is the kun'yomi き ('a tree, wood'). In 木曜日 ('Thursday') it's the on'yomi モク (もくようび). As a rule, compounds take the on'yomi.
How many strokes does 木 have?
木 has 4 strokes: the horizontal line, the vertical line, then the two diagonal branches (left, then right). It's also the 'tree' radical.
Why is 木の葉 read このは and not きのは?
木 has a special prefix reading こ- that appears in a few set words, and 木の葉 ('leaves') is the most common one. It's worth memorizing as its own vocabulary item.
What does the 木 radical tell me about other kanji?
木 is the 'tree' radical. When it appears in another kanji, it usually signals a link to trees, plants, or wood — for example 林 (woods), 森 (forest), and 校 (school).