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Kotomora

左

left

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 1FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • サ
  • シャ

Kun'yomi

  • ひだり

Nanori

  • そ

Meaning

左 centers on the direction or side that is opposite to right: left. It is used for spatial orientation and can extend to political or social left-leaning contexts.

Most common words using 左

20 of 164
  • 左ひだり
    N5

    left; left-hand side

  • 左右さゆう
    N3

    left and right; right and left

  • 左手ひだりて
    N1

    left hand

  • 左側ひだりがわ
    N1

    left side; left-hand side

  • 左翼さよく
    N1

    left wing

  • 左派さは

    left wing

  • 左上ひだりうえ

    upper left

  • 左足ひだりあし

    left foot

  • 左利きひだりきき
    N1

    left-handedness; left-handed person; left-hander

  • 左下ひだりした

    lower left

  • 左折させつ

    turning to the left; left turn

  • 左腕ひだりうで

    left arm

  • 左目ひだりめ

    left eye

  • 左肩ひだりかた

    left shoulder

  • 左遷させん
    N1

    demotion; relegation; reduction in rank; degradation; downward move

  • 左端ひだりはし

    left end; left edge

  • 左舷さげん

    port (left side of vessel)

  • 極左きょくさ

    far left (in politics); extreme left; ultraleft; radical left

  • 右往左往うおうさおう
    N1

    moving about in confusion; going every which way; going this way and that

  • 左脳さのう

    left brain

Explore all words using 左 →

Study

Etymology

左 originally depicted a left hand, with the modern form retaining a stylized hand shape. The character has long been used to represent the left side or direction.

Meaning mnemonic

The top diagonal stroke and the 工 shape together suggest a hand with fingers pointing left. Think of it as a left hand gesturing to the left side.

Reading mnemonic

For サ, imagine a left-handed person writing the letter 'S' with their left hand: 'S' sounds like サ, and the left hand ties it to the meaning.