← Kanji module
N5 · 8 strokes · — · Irodori #45 · Starter L13
東
east
Stroke diagrams © KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Readings
- On’yomi
- トウ
- Kun’yomi
- ひがし
Example words
東
ひがし
east
東
あずま
eastern Japan (esp. Kamakura or Edo, from perspective of Kyoto or Nara); eastern provinces
東
とう
eastern; east
東
トン
east wind tile
Memory aids
Guided learn session →How to remember
Shape
The sun (日) rising behind a tree (木) — the east.
Components
Remember "east" (東) by connecting it to its Irodori vocabulary context.
Anchor word
東 (ひがし) — your first meeting with this kanji in Irodori.
Readings
First learned in 東 (ひがし) — recall the word to unlock the reading. Kun'yomi: ひがし — often used in native Japanese words (like 東). On'yomi: トウ — common in compound words (熟語).