Japanese kanji for sakura: 桜 — writing and meaning
The Japanese kanji for sakura is a single character 桜, 10 strokes, N3 level. It is read 'sakura' (kun'yomi さくら) and 'ō' (on'yomi オウ). On the left is the radical 'tree' 木. Cherry blossom viewing is called 花見 (hanami), and the sakura itself bears almost no fruit — it is valued precisely for its short blooming.
Sakura blooms for a week, and all of Japanese aesthetics grew out of that week. 桜 is a tree valued not for its fruit but for the way it falls: beauty here equals transience, and in Japanese culture, that is not to be argued with.
How to write the Japanese kanji for sakura
桜 — значение: sakura, ornamental cherry — онъёми: オウ、ヨウ — кунъёми: さくら — 10 штрих(ов). N3 level, 10 strokes. Click 'Show order': first the 'tree' radical, then the right part.
Tree on the left, reading on the right
On the left is the radical 木 'tree': it immediately indicates that this is about a plant. The same radical appears in 林 (grove), 森 (forest), 松 (pine). On the right is the simplified part of 嬰: in the old form 櫻 it was precisely this that was responsible for the reading オウ. This variant is still found on signs and in names.
Words with sakura
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 桜 | sakura · sakura | Sakura, Japanese cherry |
| 花見 | hanami · hanami | Cherry blossom viewing |
| 桜色 | sakura-iro · sakura-iro | Sakura color, pale pink |
| 満開 | mankai · mankai | Full bloom |
| 桜前線 | sakura zensen · sakura zensen | 'Sakura front' — the wave of blooming from south to north (it is shown in the weather forecast) |
| 花吹雪 | hanafubuki · hanafubuki | Blizzard of petals |
Why sakura is shown in the weather forecast
桜前線 — 'sakura front': the line along which blooming moves from southern Kyushu to northern Hokkaido from roughly late March to May. It is seriously published by meteorological services because picnic dates, trips, and school events depend on it.
Write 桜 yourself
Trace 桜 along the guides — the 'tree' radical on the left is already part of the right side.
FAQ
- How many strokes are in 桜 and how was it written before?
- 桜 — 10 strokes, N3 level. Kun'yomi さくら (sakura), on'yomi オウ (ō). The traditional form is 櫻.
- How do you say 'sakura' in Japanese?
- 桜 (sakura) is the Japanese word itself; it has been borrowed into Russian unchanged. The color of sakura is 桜色 (sakura-iro).
- What is hanami?
- 花見 is the tradition of viewing blooming sakura: a picnic under the trees with food and drinks. Dates are tied to the 'sakura front', which moves from south to north.
- Is sakura a cherry? Does it bear fruit?
- Botanically, it is a species of the cherry genus, but ornamental: it produces almost no edible fruit. Edible cherries are called さくらんぼ (sakurambo).
Updated: 2026-07-25