南 means “south”

みなみ · minami

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

みなみ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ナン, ナ

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 2 · 9 strokes

The story

A house with its warm face open to the sun: the prized southern exposure every Japanese apartment listing still boasts about. Sail 南 far enough and you reach Okinawa's coral seas.

Used in 南口 (minamiguchi, south exit), 東南アジア (tounan ajia, Southeast Asia), and 南国 (nangoku, southern country)

Words with 南

• 南北 (なんぼく, nanboku): north and south

More from Compass & Position

• 図 map
• 右 right
• 左 left
• 中 inside
• 後 behind
• 前 front
• 上 above
• 東 east
• 方 direction
• 外 outside
• 下 below
• 以 from

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

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