数 means “number, count”

かず · kazu

Also: strength, fate, law

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

かず, かぞえる, しばしば, せめる, わずらわしい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

スウ, ス, サク, ソク

Taught in grade 2 · 13 strokes

The story

The kanji for number contains the radical for "hand": ancient counting was always done on fingers.

Used in words like 数学 (suugaku, mathematics) and 数字 (suuji, numeral)

Its parts

• 米 Rice · Top-left
• 女 Woman · Bottom-left
• 攵 Strike/action · Right side

Counting (攵) grains of rice (米): number, to count

Words with 数

• 多数 (たすう, tasuu): majority / many
• 人数 (にんずう, ninzuu): number of people
• 多人数 (たにんずう, taninzuu): a large number of people

More from Ancient Counting

• 一番 first
• 年 year
• 分 minute
• 多 many
• 一 one
• 二 two
• 三 three
• 四 four
• 五 five
• 六 six
• 七 seven
• 八 eight

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

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