州 means “state, province, sandbar”

しゅう · shuu

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

す

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

シュウ, ス

JLPT N2 · Taught in grade 3 · 6 strokes

The story

A river (川) with little sandbars dotted between its streams: 州 began as land rising from the water. Now it names bigger land: 本州 is Japan's main island, 九州 the southwestern island named for nine old provinces, and a U.S. state is a 州.

Used in 本州 (honshuu, Honshu), 九州 (kyuushuu, Kyushu), and 三角州 (sankakusu, river delta)

More from Maps & Borders

• 域 region
• 欧 Europe
• 辺 vicinity
• 湾 bay
• 周 around
• 央 center
• 河 river
• 坂 slope
• 郊 suburbs
• 湖 lake
• 島 island
• 境 border

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