本 book

Also: origin

On'yomi: ホン
Kun'yomi: もと
Strokes: 5
JLPT: N5
Taught in: Primary school, year 1

Stroke order

1
2
3
4
5

本 is written in 5 strokes. Each panel adds the next one; the dot marks where the brush starts.

Remember it

A tree (木) with a line drawn across its base — pointing at the root, the origin; and from that wood came paper and a book.

A common word

日本にほん Japan

Example sentences

本を三さつ買いました。
ほんをさんさつかいました。
I bought three books.
日本語の本をよんでいます。
にほんごのほんをよんでいます。
I'm reading a Japanese book.

Don't confuse it with

木 tree

Kanji that share a part

木 is its radical. 134 kanji share it in all.