Thousand
千
Thousand
On-yomi 🇨🇳:
セン (sen)
(Chinese-derived reading)Variation:
ーゼン (-zen)
(in compounds)
Pronunciation rules
- セン (sen) is the on-yomi for the number 1,000.
- In compounds, the reading may change: 三千 (さんぜん, sanzen: 3,000) uses ゼン (zen) instead of セン.
- This kanji is primarily used with on-yomi readings in number compounds and place names.
Examples
On-yomiSino-Japanese Readings
千 です。
It's one thousand.
Uses on-yomi セン (sen) for the number 1,000
にせん です。
It's two thousand.
Uses on-yomi セン (sen) in compound 二千
さんぜん です。
It's three thousand.
Uses on-yomi ゼン (zen) in compound 三千 (note: changes to ゼン after 三)
千葉県 に すんでいます。
I live in Chiba Prefecture.
Uses on-yomi セン (sen) in place name 千葉県
Quick facts
- Radical: 十 (ten)
- Strokes: 3
- Common compounds: 二千 (にせん, nisen), 三千 (さんぜん, sanzen), 千葉県 (ちばけん, Chiba-ken)
- ⚠️ Reading variations:
- 千 alone: せん (sen)
- After 三: さんぜん (sanzen) - changes to ゼン
- Place names: 千葉 reads as ちば (Chiba)
Key Words
千 - 1,000
二千 - 2,000
三千 - 3,000
千葉県 - Chiba Prefecture