三 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
三 means the number three, and the kanji itself is the perfect picture of it: count the three stacked horizontal lines and you have your answer. It follows the same logic as 一 (one, one line) and 二 (two, two lines), so the first three numbers in Japanese are about as friendly as kanji ever get.
You'll use 三 constantly — in dates, times, prices, ages, counting people and objects, and inside larger numbers. The only thing to watch is which reading to use, because 三 switches between サン and みっ depending on the word. We'll sort that out below.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| on'yomi | サン | 三 (さん, three), 三月 (さんがつ, March), 三人 (さんにん, three people), 三時 (さんじ, 3 o'clock) |
| kun'yomi | みっ.つ | 三つ (みっつ, three things) |
| kun'yomi | み | 三日 (みっか, the 3rd / three days), 三つ (みっつ) |
Here's the rule of thumb: the on'yomi サン is the default — it shows up in the bare number (三 = さん) and in nearly every counter compound (三月, 三人, 三時). The kun'yomi みっ.つ appears mainly when you count generic things with the all-purpose counter 〜つ (一つ, 二つ, 三つ, 四つ…).
One reading to memorize on its own: 三日 = みっか ("the 3rd of the month" or "three days"). It's not さんにち and not みっつ — it's an irregular reading you simply learn by heart, alongside its cousins 一日 (ついたち, the 1st) and 二日 (ふつか, the 2nd).
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 3 — three horizontal lines written top to bottom. The standard touch is to make the middle line the shortest and the bottom line the longest, which keeps the character balanced and stops it from looking like a fence.
- Radical: the radical of 三 is 一 ("one"), the single horizontal stroke. Many of the simplest number and counting kanji are filed under this "one" radical, so spotting it here is a small preview of how the radical system organizes the dictionary.
Because every stroke is a clean left-to-right horizontal, 三 is a great character for practicing even, confident lines.
Common words using 三
See the split at work: 三, 三月, 三人, and 三時 all use the on'yomi サン, while 三つ uses the kun'yomi みっ.つ. The odd one out is 三日 (みっか) — a special reading worth flagging in your notes.
Example sentences
ヤッタンはりんごを三つ買いました。
ヤッタンは りんごを みっつ かいました。
Yattan bought three apples.
三つ — the kun'yomi みっ.つ reading, used with the 〜つ counter.
モチの誕生日は三月三日です。
モチの たんじょうびは さんがつ みっかです。
Mochi's birthday is March 3rd.
Two readings in one sentence: 三月 (サン) and 三日 (みっか, irregular). A perfect line for remembering the difference.
先生とヤッタンと弟の三人で図書館へ行きました。
せんせいと ヤッタンと おとうとの さんにんで としょかんへ いきました。
Sensei, Yattan, and his little brother went to the library — the three of them.
三人 (さんにん) uses the on'yomi サン for counting people.
Quick recap
- 三 = three; just 3 strokes (three horizontal lines); its radical is 一 (one).
- サン is the default reading — bare number (三) and counters (三月, 三人, 三時).
- みっ.つ appears with the 〜つ counter (三つ).
- 三日 = みっか is irregular — memorize it; it means "the 3rd" or "three days."
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 三 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 三 in 三つ vs 三月?
In 三つ it's the kun'yomi みっ (三つ = みっつ, 'three things'), used with the 〜つ counter. In 三月 it's the on'yomi サン (三月 = さんがつ, 'March'). As a rule, counter compounds take サン while the plain 〜つ counter takes みっ.つ.
Why is 三日 read みっか and not さんにち?
三日 ('the 3rd of the month' / 'three days') is one of a small set of irregular date readings you simply memorize, together with 一日 (ついたち) and 二日 (ふつか). Outside dates, さんにち can appear, but for the calendar day it's みっか.
How many strokes does 三 have?
三 has just 3 strokes — three horizontal lines written top to bottom. Make the middle line shortest and the bottom line longest for good balance.
What is the radical of 三?
The radical of 三 is 一, the 'one' radical (a single horizontal stroke). Several simple number kanji are organized under it in the dictionary.