book, present, true, counter for long cylindrical things
ほん
Chinese reading
もと
Japanese reading
The kanji 本 means "book, present, true, counter for long cylindrical things" and is part of the JLPT N5 curriculum. This character is essential for Japanese learners to master. Use the interactive stroke order diagram above to learn the correct writing sequence and practice until you can write it from memory.
本 has multiple readings depending on context: