Japanese Kanji for Book: 本 — Both a Book and a Counter Suffix
The Japanese kanji for book is the single character 本, with 5 strokes, N5 level. It is read as “hon” (on’yomi ホン) and “moto” (kun’yomi もと) — “source, origin”. The same character also works as a counter suffix for long objects: 一本 (ippon) — one bottle or one pencil. And it also appears in the country name: 日本.
本 means “book”, “source”, and a way to count bottles. The character depicts a tree 木 with a line at the root: originally it meant “root, beginning”, and the book came later — as a source of knowledge.
How to Write the Japanese Kanji for Book
- Meaning
- book, source, origin, counter suffix
- Onyomi
- ホン
- Kunyomi
- もと
- strokes
- 5
N5 level, 5 strokes. Click “Show stroke order” — the short stroke at the root comes last.
A Tree with a Mark at the Root
The character is 木 “tree” with an extra short stroke at the bottom, pointing to the root. The original meaning is “base, source”: hence 日本 “source of the sun” and 基本 (kihon) “foundation”. The meaning “book” came as “that which contains the original source”.
Words with the Character 本
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 本ほん | hon | Book |
| 日本にほん | Nihon | Japan — “source of the sun” |
| 本当ほんとう | hontō | Truth, really |
| 基本きほん | kihon | Foundation, basis |
| 本屋ほんや | honya | Bookstore |
| 一本いっぽん | ippon | One (long object) |
| 本人ほんにん | honnin | The person himself, personally |
Why Bottles Are Counted as “Books”
本 as a counter suffix refers to long cylindrical objects: bottles, pencils, umbrellas, bananas. 一本 (ippon), 二本 (nihon), 三本 (sanbon) — note that the reading changes depending on the number. The word 二本 sounds the same as 日本 “Japan”, which is a source of jokes.
Write 本 Yourself
FAQ
Is it true that 本 means not only a book?
本 — 5 strokes, N5 level. Read as “hon”. Besides “book”, it means “source, origin” and works as a counter suffix.
How do you say “book” in Japanese?
本 (hon). Bookstore — 本屋 (honya), library — 図書館 (toshokan).
Why does 一本 mean “one bottle”?
本 serves as a counter suffix for long cylindrical objects: bottles, pencils, umbrellas. The reading changes: ippon, nihon, sanbon.
How are 本 and the name of Japan related?
日本 — “source of the sun”: 日 sun + 本 source. The original meaning of the character is “root, beginning”, not “book”.
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