Japanese Kanji for Tree: 木 — Writing and Readings
The Japanese kanji for tree is 木, 4 strokes, N5 level. It is read as 'ki' (kun'yomi き) and 'moku/boku' (on'yomi モク、ボク). It combines to form 林 (grove — two trees) and 森 (forest — three trees). Thursday is called 木曜日 (mokuyōbi) — 'day of the tree'.
木 is the most illustrative kanji in the language: trunk, branches, roots. From it, Japanese writing builds the arithmetic of the forest: two trees side by side — grove 林, three — forest 森. It is the first thing shown to a beginner to explain that kanji can be read, not memorized.
How to Write the Kanji for Tree in Japanese
木 — значение: tree, wood — онъёми: ボク、モク — кунъёми: き、こ- — 4 штрих(ов). N5 level, 4 strokes. Click 'Show order' — horizontal, vertical, then the branches.
Forest Arithmetic: 木 → 林 → 森
One tree — 木 (ki). Two side by side — 林 (hayashi), grove. Three (two below, one above) — 森 (mori), forest. Both surnames, Hayashi and Mori, are among the most common in Japan, so you encounter these characters literally every day.
Words with the Tree Kanji
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 木 | ki · ki | Tree (growing) |
| 林 | hayashi · hayashi | Grove |
| 森 | mori · mori | Forest |
| 木曜日 | mokuyōbi · mokuyōbi | Thursday — 'day of the tree' |
| 木材 | mokuzai · mokuzai | Lumber, timber |
| 植木 | ueki · ueki | Potted garden plant |
| 木漏れ日 | komorebi · komorebi | Light filtered through leaves |
The 'tree' radical on the left
In other characters, 木 stands on the left and is slightly narrowed: 松 (pine), 桜 (cherry blossom), 板 (board), 机 (desk). This is one of the most useful radicals for guessing meaning: it almost always indicates a plant or something wooden.
Write 木 Yourself
Trace 木 along the guides: four strokes, two of them slanted branches.
FAQ
- How is 木 read — ki, moku or boku?
- 木 — 4 strokes, N5 level. Kun'yomi き (ki), on'yomi モク (moku) and ボク (boku): 木曜日 mokuyōbi 'Thursday', 木材 mokuzai 'lumber'.
- Is it true that forest is three trees?
- Yes: 林 (hayashi) — two trees, grove; 森 (mori) — three trees, forest. Both characters are also common Japanese surnames.
- Why is Thursday the 'day of the tree'?
- The days of the week are named after the five elements and celestial bodies: 木曜日 — day of the tree, 火曜日 — of fire, 水曜日 — of water, 金曜日 — of metal, 土曜日 — of earth.
- How to recognize the 'tree' radical in an unfamiliar kanji?
- It stands on the left and looks like a compressed 木 with a shortened right stroke: 松 pine, 桜 cherry blossom, 机 desk, 板 board.
Updated: 2026-07-25