Kanji: 朝 (Morning/Dynasty)
The kanji 朝 has two primary meanings: "morning" (the early part of the day) and "dynasty" (a ruling imperial family or era). The character visually combines the sun (日) rising over plants (草) and the moon (月) still visible, depicting the dawn period.
Key Reading:
On-yomi (Sino-Japanese reading): チョウ (chō)
Kun-yomi (Japanese reading): あさ (asa)
Common Words & Usage:
朝 (asa) - Noun. Morning.
朝食 (chōshoku) - Noun. Breakfast.
朝日 (asahi) - Noun. Morning sun.
王朝 (ōchō) - Noun. Dynasty.
Example Sentence:
Japanese: 私は毎朝七時に起きます。
Romaji: Watashi wa mai asa shichiji ni okimasu.
English: I get up at seven o'clock every morning.
Learning the correct stroke order for kanji like 朝 is essential for balanced, legible Japanese handwriting and is a fundamental part of mastering kanji writing.