針 means “needle”

はり · hari

Also: pin, staple, stinger

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

はり

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

シン

Taught in grade 6 · 10 strokes

The story

Metal (金) shaped to a fine point of ten (十): 針 pierces with precision. Every February 8th, Japan celebrates Hari Kuyo (針供養), a memorial for broken needles, thanking them for their service by resting them in soft tofu.

Used in 方針 (houshin, policy/direction) and 針金 (harigane, wire)

Words with 針

• 方針 (ほうしん, houshin): policy / direction

More from Tools & Objects

• 傘 umbrella
• 袋 bag
• 机 desk
• 鐘 bell
• 刃 blade
• 札 tag
• 刀 sword
• 筆 brush
• 紙 paper
• 鏡 mirror
• 鍵 key
• 箱 box

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

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