六 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
六 simply means six — no hidden nuance, no extra meanings. Like the other number kanji (一, 二, 三…), it shows up constantly: counting things, telling time, giving dates, and naming the sixth of anything. The good news is that numbers are some of the most useful kanji you can know, so the time you spend here pays off immediately in everyday Japanese.
The catch with number kanji isn't the meaning — it's the readings, which shift depending on what 六 is counting. Master those shifts and you've basically mastered the kanji.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| on'yomi | ロク | 六 (six), 六月 (June), 六時 (6 o'clock) |
| kun'yomi | むっ.つ | 六つ (six things) |
| kun'yomi | む.つ | 六つ (older/alt. form of "six things") |
| kun'yomi | む | 六日 (むいか, the 6th) — irregular |
Here's the rule of thumb for number kanji: the on'yomi ロク is the default — it's what you use to say the plain number and inside most compounds (六月, 六時). The kun'yomi むっ.つ appears in the general counter 六つ ("six things"). Two readings worth memorizing as special cases:
- 六日 = むいか ("the 6th of the month" / "six days") — this uses the む reading and is irregular; you can't sound it out from the rules, so just learn it.
- 六本 = ろっぽん ("six long objects") — here ロク triggers a sound change: ロク + ホン becomes ろっぽん (the ku shortens to a small っ and ほ becomes ぽ). This happens with several counters, so it's a pattern you'll meet again.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 4, written top to bottom. Start with the short dot/stroke on top, then the horizontal line, and finish with the two "legs" that spread outward at the bottom — left leg, then right leg.
- Radical: 六 is classified under 八 (eight / "divide"), the radical formed by those two spreading legs at the bottom. It's a structural grouping rather than a meaning clue, but spotting the splayed-leg shape helps you remember how 六 is built.
A handy mental image: the top stroke is a little hat, and the two legs underneath look like a stick figure standing with feet apart — six is just standing there, easy to count.
Common words using 六
Look at the reading split in action: the plain number and most compounds use ロク (六, 六月, 六時), the general counter uses むっ.つ (六つ), and then two oddballs — 六日 (むいか, irregular) and 六本 (ろっぽん, sound change). Those last two are the ones learners trip on, so give them extra attention.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは毎朝六時に起きます。
ヤッタンは まいあさ ろくじに おきます。
Yattan gets up at six o'clock every morning.
六時 — the on'yomi ロク reading, used for telling time.
モチはりんごを六つ買いました。
モチは りんごを むっつ かいました。
Mochi bought six apples.
六つ — the kun'yomi むっ.つ reading, the general counter for things.
弟は六月六日に生まれました。
おとうとは ろくがつ むいかに うまれました。
My little brother was born on June 6th.
Both surprises in one sentence: 六月 (ろくがつ, ロク) and the irregular 六日 (むいか).
Quick recap
- 六 = six; only 4 strokes; classified under the 八 ("eight") radical.
- ロク is the default — the plain number and most compounds (六月, 六時).
- むっ.つ is the general counter (六つ, "six things").
- Two to memorize: 六日 = むいか (irregular) and 六本 = ろっぽん (sound change).
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 六 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 六 by itself?
On its own, the number is read ロク (六 = ろく). This on'yomi is also the default reading inside most compounds, such as 六月 (ろくがつ, June) and 六時 (ろくじ, six o'clock).
Why is 六日 read むいか and not ろくにち?
六日 (むいか, 'the 6th' / 'six days') is an irregular reading using the kun-based む form. It doesn't follow the normal rules, so it's best to just memorize it alongside the other tricky date readings like 一日 (ついたち) and 二十日 (はつか).
Why does 六本 become ろっぽん?
六本 ('six long objects') is read ろっぽん because of a sound change: ロク + ホン shortens to a small っ and ほ becomes ぽ. The same kind of change shows up with other counters too.
When do I use むっつ instead of ろく?
Use 六つ (むっつ) when counting general things without a specific counter — six apples, six chairs, six ideas. Use ろく for the plain number and for set compounds like time and dates.