西 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
西 simply means west. You'll meet it constantly in daily life — on station signs (西口, "west exit"), in weather reports, and on maps. It also stretches a little beyond the literal compass point: in words like 西洋 ("the West / the Western world") it carries the idea of "Western" cultures and countries. And once you know 西, you're a quarter of the way to mastering the famous direction set 東西南北 (とうざいなんぼく, "east-west-south-north") — the Japanese way of listing all four directions in one breath.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | にし | 西 (west), 西口 (にしぐち, west exit), 西日 (にしび, the westering sun) |
| on'yomi | セイ | 西洋 (せいよう, the West), 北西 (ほくせい, northwest) |
| on'yomi | サイ | 関西 (かんさい, the Kansai region) |
A useful rule of thumb: the kun'yomi にし shows up when 西 stands alone as the direction (西, 西口, 西日), while the on'yomi appears inside two-kanji compounds. The tricky part is that 西 has two on'yomi — セイ is the common one (西洋, 北西), but the Kansai region keeps the older reading サイ in 関西. That one is worth memorizing as a fixed exception.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 6, written top to bottom — start with the short horizontal line across the top, then the box-like frame, and finish with the two short strokes inside.
- Radical: 西 is its own radical, the "west" radical (にし). In its radical form it can appear slightly squashed (覀/襾) at the top of other kanji, but at N5 you'll almost always meet 西 as a standalone character meaning the direction.
The shape is compact and symmetrical, which makes it easy to recognize on signs even from a distance — handy when you're hunting for the 西口 at a busy station.
Common words using 西
Watch the reading split in action: the lone direction 西 and the everyday 西口 / 西日 take にし, while compounds switch to an on'yomi — usually セイ (西洋, 北西), but サイ in the special case of 関西.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは西の空をながめています。
ヤッタンは にしの そらを ながめています。
Yattan is gazing at the western sky.
西 — the kun'yomi にし, the direction standing alone.
モチは関西から来たので、関西弁を話します。
モチは かんさいから きたので、かんさいべんを はなします。
Mochi is from the Kansai region, so he speaks the Kansai dialect.
関西 uses the on'yomi サイ — a fixed reading worth memorizing.
先生は「西洋の文化を勉強しましょう」と言いました。
せんせいは「せいようの ぶんかを べんきょうしましょう」と いいました。
Sensei said, Let's study Western culture.
西洋 uses the on'yomi セイ — the common compound reading.
Quick recap
- 西 = west; 6 strokes; it's the "west" radical itself.
- にし when it stands alone or names the direction (西, 西口, 西日).
- セイ in most compounds (西洋, 北西), but サイ in the special word 関西.
- It's one of the four directions in the set 東西南北 (east-west-south-north).
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 西 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 西 in 西口 vs 関西?
In 西口 it's the kun'yomi にし (西口 = にしぐち, 'west exit'). In 関西 it's the on'yomi サイ (関西 = かんさい, the Kansai region). Most compounds use セイ, but 関西 keeps the older サイ reading.
Why does 西 have two on'yomi, セイ and サイ?
Both were borrowed from Chinese at different times. セイ is the common, productive reading (西洋, 北西), while サイ survives mainly in a few fixed words like 関西. When in doubt, セイ is the safer guess.
How many strokes does 西 have?
西 has 6 strokes and is also the 'west' radical. It's written top to bottom: the top line first, then the frame, then the two short inner strokes.
What are the four direction kanji together?
They form the set 東西南北 (とうざいなんぼく): 東 east, 西 west, 南 south, 北 north. Learning all four together makes maps, signs, and weather reports much easier to read.