Meaning

Primary

Seven

Word Type

numeral

Explanation

When a vocab is alone with no okurigana (that's hiragana attached to a kanji) it usually has the same meaning as the kanji too. That goes for this word as well. So, if you know the kanji's meaning (seven) you'll know the vocab's meaning (seven).

Reading

なな
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)
しち
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Most single-kanji all-alone vocab words like this use the kun'yomi reading. Numbers are an exception to this rule. That being said, four and seven are exceptions to this exception to the rule (because the on'yomi readings sound too much like the word for "death"). You should learn both readings for this word, though we're going to go with なな for the main one here. You can remember that because you had seven nanas after you.

Context

Pattern of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 七人

    seven people

    七パーセント

    seven percent

    七キロ

    seven kilos, seven kilometers

Context Sentences

コウイチのラッキーナンバーは七です。

Koichi's lucky number is seven.

このパスタは、たったの七ステップでできますよ。

You can make this pasta in just seven steps.

七カラットのダイアモンドを下さい。

I would like a seven-carat diamond.

Kanji Composition