第 means “number (ordinal prefix)”

だい · dai

Also: No., residence

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ダイ, テイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 3 · 11 strokes

The story

Bamboo (⺮) over most of 弟, the younger brother: bamboo slips stacked in order, like brothers by age. 第 makes ordinals: 第一 is first, 次第 is order or "depending on", and 落第 is failing a year.

Used in 第一 (daiichi, first/number one), 次第 (shidai, order/depending on), and 落第 (rakudai, failing/being held back)

More from Old Measures

• 丈 length
• 寸 sun (about 3 cm)
• 坪 tsubo (about 3.3 square meters)
• 厘 rin
• 乙 second
• 斗 dipper
• 尺 shaku
• 升 sho (about 1.8 liters)
• 畝 ridge (in a field)
• 壱 one (formal)
• 弐 two (formal)
• 丙 third (in a series)

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

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