日

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 今日は良い日です。▶ —
   Today is a good day.
2. 日が暮れる。▶ —
   The sun sets.

Collocations

Mnemonic

ひ — 日, Yamato. The homophone 火 hi-fire lives in a separate slug — hi-day / hi-fire. A single character holds two senses — 'a day (in time)': 今日は良い日 (today is a good day). 'the sun': 日が暮れる (the sun sets). The country's own name, 日本 Nihon, comes from this character — 日 (sun) + 本 (origin) = 'where the sun rises'. China saw the islands to its east; the 7th-century court took that sight and made it a name. The red circle in the centre of the Hinomaru flag is, quite literally, this kanji.

Quick check

1. Etymology of Nihon?

   • Origin of the sun — the eastern land where the sun rises (from Chinas perspective); adopted as country name 7th century
   • Western naming
   • Tokyo
   • Recent