What is the difference between "じ" and "字"?

"じ" means "o'clock; time" (N5), whereas "字" represents "character, letter, handwriting" (N4).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "じ (ji)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

じ (ji)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

じ (ji)

N4 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "じ (ji)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

じ (Level: N5): Translates to "o'clock; time" and is used when A counter suffix used after numbers to indicate hours.
字 (Level: N4): Maps to "character, letter, handwriting" and carries the nuance of Refers to individual characters.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "じ"

今、4時です。

It's 4 o'clock now.

Bilingual Context for "字"

先生の字はとてもきれいです。

My teacher's handwriting is very beautiful.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "今、4時です。" (Meaning: "It's 4 o'clock now.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "じ" is used for "o'clock; time" in the context: "It's 4 o'clock now.".