社 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N4)
What it means
社 carries two meanings that feel unrelated at first but share a history. Today you'll meet it most often in the world of work and society: 会社 ("company"), 社会 ("society"), 社長 ("company president"), 社員 ("company employee"). In all of these it points to an organized group of people — a firm, a community.
Its older, original sense is a shrine — specifically a Shinto shrine, as in 神社 ("じんじゃ"). That meaning is why the kanji wears the 礻 "altar" radical on its left. The thread connecting the two is the idea of people gathering around something shared: once a god enshrined at a sacred place, now colleagues gathered in a company. Knowing that link makes both meanings easier to remember.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| on'yomi | シャ | 会社 (company), 社会 (society), 社長 (president), 社員 (employee), 入社 (joining a company) |
| on'yomi | じゃ (voiced シャ) | 神社 (じんじゃ, Shinto shrine) |
| kun'yomi | やしろ | 社 (やしろ, a shrine — standalone, rare) |
The big takeaway: 社 is almost always read シャ. Unlike many kanji where you toggle between on'yomi and kun'yomi, here the on'yomi シャ does nearly all the work — 会社, 社会, 社長, 社員, 入社 all use it. The kun'yomi やしろ ("shrine") does exist but is rare in everyday reading. The one regular curveball is 神社, where シャ voices to じゃ (a sound change called rendaku that's common when a word becomes the second half of a compound).
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 7. Write the left-hand radical first, top to bottom, then the right-hand part (土 "earth") afterward.
- Radical: the left side is 礻, the "altar / show" radical (a compressed form of 示). It marks kanji connected to gods, ritual, and worship — which is exactly why 社 originally meant a shrine. You'll see the same 礻 in 神 ("god," as in 神社).
Spotting 礻 on the left is a useful clue: kanji that carry it often relate to the sacred or ceremonial. So even before you learn 社's "company" meaning, the radical whispers its older "shrine" story.
Common words using 社
Notice the pattern: 会社, 社会, 社長, 社員, and 入社 all use the plain on'yomi シャ. Only 神社 breaks ranks with the voiced じゃ — and that's the one to memorize as a special case.
Example sentences
ヤッタンのお父さんは大きな会社で働いています。
ヤッタンの おとうさんは おおきな かいしゃで はたらいて います。
Yattan's dad works at a big company.
会社 — the on'yomi シャ reading (かいしゃ).
お正月に、ヤッタンとモチは神社へお参りに行った。
おしょうがつに、ヤッタンと モチは じんじゃへ おまいりに いった。
At New Year, Yattan and Mochi went to pray at the shrine.
神社 (じんじゃ) — here シャ voices to じゃ. The 礻 radical's original 'shrine' meaning shows up.
先生は「社会のルールを守りましょう」と言いました。
せんせいは「しゃかいの ルールを まもりましょう」と いいました。
Sensei said, Let's follow the rules of society.
社会 (しゃかい) — on'yomi シャ again, in a compound meaning 'society.'
Quick recap
- 社 = company / firm, and originally shrine; 7 strokes; radical 礻 ("altar").
- It's almost always read シャ: 会社, 社会, 社長, 社員, 入社.
- The exception is 神社 (じんじゃ), where シャ voices to じゃ.
- The kun'yomi やしろ ("shrine") exists but is rare.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 社 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How is 社 usually read?
Almost always as the on'yomi シャ. You'll see it in 会社 (かいしゃ, company), 社会 (しゃかい, society), 社長 (しゃちょう, president), 社員 (しゃいん, employee), and 入社 (にゅうしゃ, joining a company).
Why is 神社 read じんじゃ and not じんしゃ?
Because of rendaku — a sound change where the first sound of the second word voices when it joins a compound. So シャ becomes じゃ, giving じんじゃ. It's worth memorizing 神社 as a special case.
What does the 礻 radical in 社 mean?
礻 is the 'altar / show' radical (a compressed form of 示). It marks kanji linked to gods and worship, which is why 社 originally meant a Shinto shrine. You also see 礻 in 神 (god).
Does 社 have a kun'yomi?
Yes, やしろ, meaning a shrine, when 社 stands alone. It's rare in everyday reading — most of the time you'll meet 社 as シャ inside compounds.