休 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its core, 休 is about resting, taking a break, and time off. You'll meet it in two main roles: as a standalone verb or noun (休む "to rest / be absent," 休み "a holiday / break") and as a building block inside compound words about time off (休日 "day off," 連休 "consecutive holidays," 休憩 "a rest / break"). The payoff is that whenever you spot 休 in an unfamiliar word, you can safely bet it has something to do with resting or a day off — an instant clue to the meaning.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | やす.む | 休む (to rest, take a day off, be absent) |
| kun'yomi | やす.み | 休み (rest, holiday, break), 夏休み (summer vacation) |
| on'yomi | キュウ | 休日 (holiday), 休憩 (a break), 連休 (consecutive holidays) |
Here's a rule of thumb that works for most kanji, not just this one: the kun'yomi (やす.む / やす.み) tends to appear when the kanji stands more or less alone with hiragana endings, while the on'yomi (キュウ) shows up inside two-kanji compound words. So 休む and 夏休み use やす-, but 休日 and 休憩 use キュウ. Spotting that pattern early helps you guess readings for kanji you haven't even studied yet.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 6, written left part first, then right — the standing-person radical 亻 on the left, then 木 (tree) on the right, top to bottom.
- Radical: the left-hand piece is 亻, the "person" radical (a squished form of 人). The right side is 木 (tree). Put them together and 休 is literally a person resting against a tree — one of the most memorable kanji shapes you'll learn.
Recognizing 亻 is genuinely useful: it appears on the left of many kanji that involve people or what people do, so meeting it gives you a head start on the meaning.
Common words using 休
Notice the reading split in action: the standalone 休む and 休み take やす-, while every compound (休日, 連休, 休憩) flips to キュウ. That's the rule of thumb above, working exactly as advertised.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは今日、学校を休みました。
ヤッタンは きょう、 がっこうを やすみました。
Yattan was absent from school today.
休む — the kun'yomi やす.む reading (here as 休みました).
モチは夏休みに毎日漢字を勉強した。
モチは なつやすみに まいにち かんじを べんきょうした。
Mochi studied kanji every day during summer vacation.
夏休み uses the kun'yomi やす.み (なつやすみ).
先生は「連休の前に少し休憩しましょう」と言いました。
せんせいは「れんきゅうの まえに すこし きゅうけいしましょう」と いいました。
Sensei said, 'Let's take a short break before the long holiday.'
Two on'yomi compounds in one sentence: 連休 and 休憩 both use キュウ.
Quick recap
- 休 = rest / day off; 6 strokes; built from 亻 (person) + 木 (tree) — someone resting by a tree.
- やす.む / やす.み when it stands alone (休む, 休み, 夏休み); キュウ in compounds (休日, 連休, 休憩).
- The 亻 radical on the left hints the kanji involves people or what they do.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 休 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 休 in 休む vs 休日?
In 休む it's the kun'yomi やす (休む = やすむ, 'to rest / be absent'). In 休日 it's the on'yomi キュウ (休日 = きゅうじつ, 'holiday'). As a rule, two-kanji compounds take the on'yomi.
How many strokes does 休 have?
休 has 6 strokes. It combines the 'person' radical 亻 on the left with 木 ('tree') on the right — a person resting against a tree.
What's the difference between 休む and 休み?
休む (やすむ) is the verb, 'to rest / take a day off / be absent.' 休み (やすみ) is the noun, 'a rest / holiday / break,' and appears in words like 夏休み (summer vacation).
What does the radical in 休 tell me?
The left side is 亻, the 'person' radical. It signals that the kanji relates to people or human actions — here, a person taking a rest.