火 means “fire”

Watch: Gen and Shibamaru learn 火

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Where 火 comes from

火 is a picture of flames rising from a fire.

Stroke order (4 strokes)

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4

Words with 火

• 

  火ひ

  HI

  fire

• 

  火曜日かようび

  KAYOUBI

  Tuesday

• 

  花火はなび

  HANABI

  fireworks

• 

  火山かざん

  KAZAN

  volcano

The part of each word written with 火 is shown in orange. Audio: the readings from our video.

Reading tips

• 火 is ひ (HI) on its own, but it becomes び (BI) in 花火 (HANABI, fireworks): the sound softens in the middle of a word.
• 火 is read か (KA) in 火曜日 and 火山 (KAZAN, volcano).
• The days of the week use 日 (sun), 月 (moon), 火 (fire), 水 (water), 木 (wood), 金 (metal), and 土 (earth).

In the video

• Gen花火は 花の 火か！So fireworks are flower fire?
• Shibamaru空に さく 花だよThey're flowers blooming in the sky!

花火 is "flower fire": flowers blooming in the night sky.

Example sentences

• 火曜日に テストが あります。

  KAYOUBI NI TESUTO GA ARIMASU.

  I have a test on Tuesday.

• なつに 花火を みました。

  NATSU NI HANABI O MIMASHITA.

  I watched fireworks in the summer.

Keep learning kanji

• GENKI I Textbook (3rd Edition)

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• Remembering the Kanji 1

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