三
THREE
Mnemonic
Building off the pattern of 一 and 二, this kanji simply stacks three horizontal lines for THREE. Count them: one, two, three!
Notice the pattern: the middle stroke is the shortest, the top is a bit longer, and the bottom stroke is the longest. This “longest-bottom” style is a classic brush calligraphy trick—it gives the kanji stability and balance, and you’ll see it in lots of other kanji too!
Example Vocabulary
-
三日（みっか） – third day of the month
Click to recall: 日 = -
三月（さんがつ） – March
Click to recall: 月 = -
三人（さんにん） – three people
Click to recall: 人 = -
三回（さんかい） – three times
-
二言三言（ふたことみこと） – a few words
Click to recall: 二 =
Use the toggles to reinforce previous meanings. For any new kanji, always just check the English and notice how the word connects back to the meaning of the kanji.
Example Sentences
- 三人でりょこうにいきました。– We went on a trip as three people.
- 三月にサクラがさきます。– Cherry blossoms bloom in March.