矢 means “arrow”

や · ya

Also: dart

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

や

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

シ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 2 · 5 strokes

The story

An arrow standing on end, its head at the top and its feathers splayed at the bottom. 矢 is an arrow, 矢印 is the arrow sign on every map and station floor, and 矢先 is the very moment something is about to happen.

Used in 矢印 (yajirushi, arrow sign), 弓矢 (yumiya, bow and arrow), and 矢先 (yasaki, the very moment/just as)

More from Arms & the Hunt

• 剣 sword
• 盾 shield
• 矛 spear
• 釣 fish (with a line)
• 狩 hunt
• 弓 bow (archery)
• 猟 hunting (game)
• 捉 grasp
• 斬 slash
• 餌 bait
• 弾 bullet
• 射 shoot

Learn 矢 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.