横 means “side, sideways, across”

よこ · yoko

Also: horizontal, width

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

よこ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

オウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 15 strokes

The story

Wood (木) and yellow (黄): picture the yellow-and-black bar at a railway crossing, lying sideways across the road. 横 is side and across: 横断歩道 is a crosswalk, and 横 on its own means right beside you.

Used in 横断歩道 (oudanhodou, pedestrian crossing), 横顔 (yokogao, profile), and 横浜 (yokohama, Yokohama)

More from Ties & Differences

• 雑 mixed
• 互 each other
• 似 resemble
• 緒 together
• 内 inside
• 相 mutual
• 関 connection
• 平 flat
• 共 together
• 交 cross
• 側 side
• 違 differ

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

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