Japanese kanji for fire: 火 — writing, readings, words
The Japanese kanji for fire is 火, 4 strokes, N5 level. It is read as "hi" (kun'yomi ひ) and "ka" (on'yomi カ). "Fire in Japanese" is 火 (hi), flame is 炎 (honoo). The same character appears in Tuesday 火曜日 (kayōbi) — "day of fire", and in 花火 (hanabi) — fireworks, literally "flowers of fire".
火 — four strokes that show a bonfire: the vertical flame and sparks on the sides. From this character, the Japanese grew fireworks — 花火, "flowers of fire". One of the most accurate names for a phenomenon that language has ever devised.
How to write the Japanese kanji for fire
火 — значение: fire — онъёми: カ — кунъёми: ひ、-び、ほ- — 4 штрих(ов). N5 level, 4 strokes. Click "Show order" — the strokes will go as in handwriting.
火 and 炎 — fire and flame
火 (hi) — fire as a phenomenon and as a source: match, gas burner, conflagration. 炎 (honoo) — flame, tongue of fire; it is two 火 signs one above the other, that is, "fire doubled". In anime and titles, 炎 is more often used: it looks hotter.
Words with the fire kanji
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 火 | hi · hi | Fire, flame, light |
| 炎 | honoo · honoo | Flame |
| 花火 | hanabi · hanabi | Fireworks (literally "flowers of fire") |
| 火曜日 | kayōbi · kayōbi | Tuesday ("day of fire") |
| 火山 | kazan · kazan | Volcano ("fire mountain") |
| 火事 | kaji · kaji | Fire (conflagration) |
| 火災 | kasai · kasai | Fire (official) |
The fire sign inside other kanji
At the bottom, 火 often turns into four dots — 灬: 熱 (heat), 煮 (to boil). On the left, it remains almost unchanged: 焼 (to grill), 灯 (lamp). If you see these four dots at the base of a character, it is most likely about heating.
Write 火 yourself
Trace the character along the guides — the system will evaluate each stroke.
FAQ
- Which Japanese kanji means fire?
- 火 — 4 strokes, N5 level. Kun'yomi ひ (hi), on'yomi カ (ka): 火曜日 kayōbi "Tuesday", 火山 kazan "volcano".
- How does 火 differ from 炎?
- 火 (hi) — fire as a phenomenon or source. 炎 (honoo) — flame, tongue of fire; the character consists of two 火 one above the other and sounds more poetic.
- Why are fireworks "flowers of fire"?
- 花火 consists of 花 "flower" and 火 "fire": the Japanese described a flash in the sky as a blossoming flower. It is read "hanabi".
- What are the four dots at the bottom of kanji?
- This is 灬 — a compressed form of 火 in the lower position: 熱 "heat", 煮 "to boil", 蒸 "to steam". The sign indicates that it is about heating.
Updated: 2026-07-25