“Three” or “Third” in Japanese kanji, and the Stroke Order and Meanings of Kanji “三”
Japanese Jouyou-kanji “三” means “Three times”, “Often” or “Again and again” etc.
Jouyou Kanji “三”
Jouyou Kanji “三” Stroke Order
| Stroke # | 3 Strokes |
|---|---|
| On-Yomi | さん(san) |
| Kun-Yomi | み(mi) |
| み(つ)(mi(tsu)) | |
| みっ(つ)(mit(tsu)) | |
| Meanings | Three, Third |
| Three times | |
| Often, Again and again, Many times |
Kanji words which contain Kanji “三”, and their meanings
| Words | Meanings |
|---|---|
| 三悪道(さんあくどう-sa n a ku do u) | The world of hungry spirits, the world of animals and the world of hell |
| 三界(さんかい-sa n ka i) | ① The three realms of existence, ② The whole universe (of a billion worlds) that Buddha enlightened, ③ Past, present and future existences |
| 三角州(さんかくす-sa n ka ku su) | Delta (geographical feature) |
| 三竿(さんかん-sa n ka n) | Three poles’ length, Broad daylight |
| 三寒四温(さんかんしおん-sa n ka n shi o n) | Alternation of three cold and four warm days (usu. in late winter and early spring) |
| 三脚(さんきゃく-sa n kya ku) | Tripod, Three legs |
| 三曲(さんきょく-sa n kyo ku) | Japanese trio, Instrumental trio |
| 三軍(さんぐん-sa n gu n) | Great army, Mighty host, Whole army |
| 三傑(さんけつ-sa n ke tsu) | Three great people |
| 三権(さんけん-sa n ke n) | The three powers of government |
| 三原色(さんげんしょく-sa n ge n sho ku) | Three primary colors |
| 三顧(さんこ-sa n ko) | To ask for something in a polite manner by a higher rank person, To warmly welcome a person by a higher rank person |
| 三光(さんこう-sa n ko u) | The Sun, the Moon and the stars |
| 三后(さんこう-sa n ko u) | Grand Empress Dowager、the Empress Dowager and the Empress Consort |
| 三更(さんこう-sa n ko u) | Third watch of the night (approx. 11pm to 1am), Midnight |
| 三綱五常(さんこうごじょう-sa n ko u go jo u) | Confucianism morality that should be always keep as a human |
| 三国(さんごく-sa n go ku) | ① Three countries, ② Three Kingdoms (in China, 220 CE-280 CE), ③ Three Kingdoms (in Korea, 57 BCE-668 CE), ④ Japan China and India, Japan Korea and China, ⑤ The whole world |
| 三国志(さんごくし-sa n go ku shi) | Records of the Three Kingdoms (Chinese historical text) |
| 三五夜中(さんごやちゅう-sa n go ya chu u) | Night of Harvest Moon, Night of Mid-Autumn Moon |
| 三才(さんさい-sa n sa i) | ① The three powers (heaven, earth and man), ② Everything in the universe |
| 三叉路(さんさろ-sa n sa ro) | Three-way junction |
| 三々九度(さんさんくど-sa n sa n ku do) | Three-times-three exchange of nuptial cups |
| 三思(さんし-sa n shi) | Deep reflection, Think over, Ruminate, Excogitate, Ponder |
| 三秋(さんしゅう-sa n shu u) | ① Three autumn months, ② Three years |
| 三重唱(さんじゅうしょう-sa n ju u sho u) | Vocal trio |
| 三十にして立つ(さんじゅうにしてたつ-sa n ju u ni shi te ta tsu) | Turning thirty and therefore becoming independent, At thirty one stands on one’s own |
| 三十二相(さんじゅうにそう-sa n ju u ni so u) | ① The Thirty-Two Excellent Qualities of the Buddha, ② All about the beautiful aspects of a woman’s appearance |
| 三十六計(さんじゅうろっけい-sa n ju u ro kke i) | The thirty-six tactics of war (in ancient Chinese military) |
| 三種の神器(さんしゅのじんぎ-sa n shu no ji n gi) | Three Sacred Treasures (Mirror, Sword and Jewels), Three sacred emblems of sovereign rul, The three divine symbols of the Japanese imperial throne |
| 三辰(さんしん-sa n shi n) | Sun, moon and star (North Star) |
| 三振(さんしん-sa n shi n) | Strike‐out (base-ball) |
| 三途(さんず-sa n zu) | The Three Paths of Suffering (In Buddhist terms) |
| 三途の川(さんずのかわ-sa n zu no ka wa) | Sanzu River (Japanese Buddhist equivalent of the River Styx), Acheron, Styx |
| 三世(さんせい-sa n se i) | ① Three generations, ② Third generation immigrant, ③ The third (e.g. Henry III) |
| 三省(さんせい-sa n se i) | Frequent reflection, Frequent meditation |
| 三聖(さんせい-sa n se i) | Three enlightened men (Buddha, Confucius and Christ, Lao-tzu, Confucius and Buddha, etc), Three sages, Three virtuous men |
| 三蹟 or 三跡(さんせき-sa n se ki) | Three great masters of calligraphy |
| 三千世界(さんぜんせかい-sa n ze n se ka i) | The whole universe (of a billion worlds) that Buddha enlightened, The whole wide world |
| 三族(さんぞく-sa n zo ku) | Three types of relatives (e.g. Father, children and grandchildren, Parents, siblings, wife and children etc) |
| 三体(さんたい-sa n ta i) | ① The three character styles: square and semicursive and grass, ② Three bodies, Three objects, Three forms, ③ The Three-Body Problem (2008 novel and subsequent adaptations), |
| 三代(さんだい-sa n da i) | Three generations;, Three periods |
| 三嘆(さんたん-sa n ta n) | ① Deep admiration, ② Repeatedly lamenting |
| 三段論法(さんだんろんぽう-sa n da n ro n po u) | Syllogism |
| 三都(さんと-sa n to) | Three large cities (esp. Edo, Kyoto、and Osaka during the Edo period) |
| 三度笠(さんどがさ-sa n do ga sa) | Type of traditional Japanese conical hat |
| 三徳(さんとく-sa n to ku) | Three primary virtues: valour, wisdom and benevolence (valor) |
| 三拝九拝(さんぱいきゅうはい-sa n pa i kyu u ha i) | Kowtowing, Bowing repeatedly, Three kneelings and nine prostrations |
| 三杯酢(さんばいず-sa n ba i zu) | Vinegar, soy sauce and mirin (or sugar) mixed in roughly equal proportions |
| 三羽烏(さんばがらす-sa n ba ga ra su) | Tri, Triumvirat, Three famous retainers |
| 三筆(さんぴつ-sa n pi tsu) | The three famous ancient calligraphers (Emperor Saga, Tachibana no Hayanari and Kooboo Daishi) |
| 三百代言(さんびゃくだいげん-sa n bya ku da i ge n) | Two‐bit lawyer, Pettifogging lawyer, unscrupulous or unethical lawyer, Shyster, Casuist, Sophist |
| 三拍子(さんびょうし-sa n byo u shi) | ① Triple time, Triple mete, Three-four time, ② Three important requisites |
| 三伏(さんぷく-sa n pu ku) | Midsummer (the hottest part of summer) |
| 三部作(さんぶさく-sa n bu sa ku) | Trilogy |
| 三方(さんぽう or さんぼう-sa n po u (or) sa n bo u) | ① Three sides, ② Small offering stand |
| 三宝(さんぽう-sa n po u) | The Three Jewels, The Triple Gem, Triratna, The Three Treasures,”Buddha, Dharm, Sangha”, “Buddha, the teachings of Buddha and the community of monks and nuns” |
| 三昧(さんまい or ざんまい-sa n pa i (or) za n ma i) | ① Samadhi (state of intense concentration achieved through meditation), ② Being immersed in, Being absorbed in, Indulging in, Doing to one’s heart’s content |
| 三枚目(さんまいめ-sa n ma i me) | (From Kabuki system of ranking characters) comedian; actor who plays comic roles, Actor who plays comic roles |
| 三位一体(さんみいったい-sa n mi i tta i) | Trinity |
| 三民主義(さんみんしゅぎ-sa n mi n shu gi) | Three‐principles of the People |
| 三面(さんめん-sa n me n) | Three sid, Three face, Page three of a newspaper |
| 三面六臂(さんめんろっぴ-sa n me n ro ppi) | Rush of busines, Versatility, Man who can do the work of many |
| 三文(さんもん-sa n mo n) | Paltry amount of money, Cheapness, Worthlessness, (Orig. meaning) three one-mon coins |
| 三文判(さんもんばん-sa n mo n ba i) | Ready‐made signet, Ready‐made seal, Cheap seal |
| 三役(さんやく-sa n ya ku) | Three key executives, Three highest ranks, The three chief Sumo-wrestlers |
| 三余(さんよ-sa n yo) | Winter-“the rest of the year”, night-“the rest of the day”, and rain-“the rest of the time” (are considered suitable times for reading) |
| 三楽(さんらく-sa n ra ku) | ① “To ensure the safety of my family, to be without shame before heaven and human, and to educate the best and brightest in the world”, ② The three pleasures of a wise man, ③ The three pleasures of life, ④ The three useful things that people like |
| 三里(さんり-sa n ri) | ① Three times of one Ri (11.98km, ② Name of the moxa point |
| 三陸(さんりく-sa n ri ku) | Sanriku (the three former provinces of Rikuzen, Rikuchu and Rikuo) |
| 三味線(しゃみせん-sha mi se n) | Shamisen, Three-stringed Japanese lute |
| 三日天下(みっかてんか-mi kka te n ka) | Three day reign, Being in power only for a brief period, Brief championship |
| 三日坊主(みっかぼうず-mi kka bo u zu) | A person with no powers of perseverance, A person who cannot stick to anything, Unsteady worker, Monk for three days |
| 三つ巴(みつどもえ-mi tsu do mo e) | ① The crest of three comma‐shaped figures in a circle, ② Three-way fight, Three-sided struggle |
| 三椏(みつまた-mi tsu ma ta) | Oriental paper bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha), Mitsumata |
| 再三(さいさん-sa i sa n) | Again and again, Repeatedly |
| 初三(しょさん-sho sa n) | The third day of the month, The first three days of the month |
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