The Kanji: 千 (Chi/Sen) - The "Thousand" Kanji
1. Meaning and Usage
Core Meaning: Thousand; many
Readings:
Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): ち (chi)
On'yomi (Chinese reading): セン (sen)
Common Words and Compounds:
千 (せん / sen) - One thousand
三千 (さんぜん / sanzen) - Three thousand
千円 (せんえん / sen'en) - One thousand yen
千葉 (ちば / Chiba) - Chiba (place name)
千鳥 (ちどり / chidori) - Plover (bird); zigzag pattern
千代 (ちよ / chiyo) - Thousand generations (eternity)
2. Writing and Stroke Order: The Human Transformation
The correct kanji writing for "千" is simple but requires attention to proportion and stroke direction.
Stroke Order:
Stroke 1: A short left-falling stroke
Stroke 2: A long horizontal stroke from left to right
Stroke 3: A long vertical stroke that starts above the horizontal stroke and extends straight down through it
Significance of Correct Kanji Writing:
Proportions: The vertical stroke (3) should extend significantly both above and below the horizontal stroke, creating a balanced cross-like shape
Angle: The first stroke should have a clear left-falling angle, distinguishing it from similar characters
Balance: The horizontal stroke should be centered on the vertical stroke
3. Historical Origin and Evolution
The history of "千" reveals another fascinating case of phonetic adaptation in kanji development.
Oracle Bone Script (甲骨文字):
The earliest form was the character 人 (person) with an additional mark, usually a horizontal line, added to the body. This represented the concept of "many people" or "a large number."
Bronze Script (金文) & Seal Script (篆書):
The form evolved to more clearly show a person (人) with the added numerical marker. The character began to be used specifically for its sound rather than its original meaning.
Modern Form (楷書):
The modern "千" has simplified the original "person" shape into the current three-stroke form, while maintaining the essential concept of a modified human figure.
Phonetic Connection:
This character demonstrates the rebus principle in kanji creation:
The original word for "person" sounded similar to the word for "thousand"
The character 人 (person) was modified with an additional stroke
This modified character was then borrowed to represent the number "thousand"
Cultural Connection:
In Japanese culture, the number thousand (千) carries rich symbolism:
Abundance and Eternity: Represents vast quantities and eternal concepts, as in 千代 (chiyo) - thousand generations
Sacred Numbers: Appears in religious contexts like 千社札 (senjafuda) - votive tablets
Natural Beauty: Used in poetic descriptions like 千鳥 (chidori) - plover, and 千草 (chigusa) - countless grasses
Place Names: Features prominently in geographical names like 千葉 (Chiba) and 千歳 (Chitose)
The character's transformation from representing "person" to symbolizing "thousand" shows how kanji can completely transform their meaning while maintaining a visual connection to their origins.
Summary
The kanji "千" represents a remarkable journey from human representation to numerical abstraction. Beginning as a modified "person" character, it evolved through phonetic borrowing to become the symbol for one thousand. Mastering its stroke order and simple yet precise form is essential for Japanese kanji writing. When you learn how to write kanji like "千," you're engaging with a character that embodies both the creative logic of kanji development and the cultural significance of large numbers in Japanese tradition - a symbol that transforms the concept of humanity into the mathematics of magnitude, connecting individual people with the idea of countless multitudes.