末 means “end, tip”

まつ · matsu

Also: close, powder

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

すえ, うら, うれ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

マツ, バツ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 5 strokes

The story

A tree (木) with a long stroke across its top branches: the tip, the very end, just as 本 marks the root. 週末 is the weekend and 年末 the year-end rush; draw the top line short and it becomes 未, not yet.

Used in 週末 (shuumatsu, weekend), 年末 (nenmatsu, end of the year), and 末っ子 (suekko, youngest child)

More from Time & Change

• 未 not yet
• 更 renew
• 刻 carve
• 暮 live
• 昔 long ago
• 晩 evening
• 化 transform
• 成 become
• 期 period
• 続 continue
• 初 first
• 際 edge

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

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