番 means “turn, number, watch”

ばん · ban

Also: number in a series

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つがい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

バン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 2 · 12 strokes

The story

Picture tracks (釆) crossing a field (田), one print after another in order. 番 is a turn or a number: 私の番 is my turn, 番号 is a number, and 留守番 is minding the house while everyone's out.

Used in 番号 (bangou, number), 一番 (ichiban, first/best), and 留守番 (rusuban, minding the house)

More from Days at Home

• 宅 home
• 景 scenery
• 候 climate
• 舞 dance
• 居 be
• 絵 picture
• 遊 play
• 畑 field
• 泳 swim
• 煙 smoke
• 靴 shoes

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

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