Why these kanji matter in real instructions
When you read signs, follow directions, or parse basic verb phrases, a small set of movement and direction kanji appears constantly. This chapter focuses on ten high-utility characters that show up in everyday instructions and common verbs: 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩. You will learn (1) the movement/direction cue each kanji signals, (2) the most common kun readings used in verbs, and (3) frequent compounds you will meet in signs and short messages.
Quick reference table (meaning, core kun, frequent compounds)
| Kanji | Core cue | Common kun in verbs | Frequent compounds (very common) |
|---|---|---|---|
行 | go / carry out | い(く), おこな(う) | 銀行(ぎんこう), 旅行(りょこう), 行動(こうどう), 行事(ぎょうじ) |
来 | come | く(る) | 来週(らいしゅう), 来年(らいねん), 未来(みらい) |
入 | enter / put in | はい(る), い(れる) | 入口(いりぐち), 入学(にゅうがく), 入力(にゅうりょく), 入院(にゅういん) |
出 | exit / take out / appear | で(る), だ(す) | 出口(でぐち), 出発(しゅっぱつ), 提出(ていしゅつ), 出席(しゅっせき) |
上 | up / above / raise | あ(がる), あ(げる), のぼ(る) | 上手(じょうず), 以上(いじょう), 上着(うわぎ), 上り(のぼり) |
下 | down / below / lower | さ(がる), さ(げる), くだ(る), お(りる) | 地下(ちか), 下手(へた), 以下(いか), 下車(げしゃ) |
右 | right | みぎ | 右手(みぎて), 右側(みぎがわ) |
左 | left | ひだり | 左手(ひだりて), 左側(ひだりがわ) |
歩 | walk / steps | ある(く), あゆ(む) | 散歩(さんぽ), 徒歩(とほ), 歩道(ほどう), 進歩(しんぽ) |
Movement and direction cues you can “read” at a glance
1) 行 — “go / do” in actions and routines
行 often signals movement (go) or carrying out an action (do/perform). In daily Japanese, it anchors very common verbs and many nouns about travel and behavior.
- Verb anchor:
行く（いく）= to go. Also行う（おこなう）= to carry out (more formal). - Compound cue: If you see
行in a noun, expect “going/doing” as the core meaning:旅行(travel),行動(action/behavior).
2) 来 — “come” and “next/coming” in time words
来 is the “come” kanji in the basic verb 来る（くる）. It also appears constantly in time expressions meaning “next/coming.”
- Verb anchor:
来る（くる）= to come. - Compound cue: In time words,
来often means “next”:来週(next week),来年(next year). In未来it signals “future.”
3) 入 / 出 — the “in/out” pair for doors, data, and movement
入 and 出 form a high-frequency pair in signs and instructions. Train yourself to recognize them as “in/enter/put in” vs “out/exit/take out/appear.”
入verb anchors:入る（はいる）= enter;入れる（いれる）= put in.出verb anchors:出る（でる）= go out/leave/appear;出す（だす）= take out/hand in/send out.- Compound cue (signs):
入口(entrance) vs出口(exit) are among the first sign words you should read instantly. - Compound cue (tasks):
入力(data input) and提出(submission) appear in school/work instructions.
4) 上 / 下 — vertical direction plus “raise/lower” verbs
上 and 下 are direction kanji (up/down) and also power many everyday verbs about changing position or level.
Continue in our app.
You can listen to the audiobook with the screen off, receive a free certificate for this course, and also have access to 5,000 other free online courses.
Or continue reading below...
Download the app
上verb anchors:上がる（あがる）= rise/go up;上げる（あげる）= raise;上る（のぼる）= climb.下verb anchors:下がる（さがる）= go down;下げる（さげる）= lower;下りる（おりる）= get off/descend;下る（くだる）= go down (often “go down from” or “be handed down”).- Compound cue:
以上(above/at least) vs以下(below/at most) appear in rules and instructions.
5) 右 / 左 — left-right for navigation and body references
右 and 左 are straightforward direction kanji used constantly in navigation, diagrams, and body-related phrases.
- Kun readings:
右（みぎ）,左（ひだり）. - Compound cue:
右手/左手(right/left hand),右側/左側(right/left side) are common in instructions.
6) 歩 — walking, steps, and “on foot”
歩 signals walking or steps. It appears in daily-life nouns (walks, sidewalks) and in abstract words about progress.
- Verb anchors:
歩く（あるく）= walk;歩む（あゆむ）= walk forward / proceed (often figurative). - Compound cue:
散歩(stroll),徒歩(on foot),歩道(sidewalk).
Practical reading patterns in short instructions
Pattern A: “Direction + movement” mini-commands
In simple directions, you often combine a direction word with a movement verb. Practice reading the kanji chunk first, then attach the verb.
右+行く(conceptually “go right”) → in natural Japanese you often see:右へ行く左+曲がる(turn) →左に曲がる上/下+行く(up/down) →上へ行く,下へ行く
Pattern B: “In/Out” as nouns on signs
For facilities, 入口 and 出口 are more common than full sentences. Train instant recognition: 入 = in, 出 = out.
入口= entrance (enter-mouth)出口= exit (exit-mouth)
Pattern C: Transitivity pairs you will meet immediately (入る/入れる, 出る/出す)
These pairs are extremely practical because instructions often switch between “something goes in/out” and “you put/take something in/out.”
| Intransitive (it happens) | Transitive (you do it) | Example meaning |
|---|---|---|
入る（はいる） | 入れる（いれる） | enter vs put in |
出る（でる） | 出す（だす） | go out/appear vs take out/submit |
Writing focus: stroke order emphasis without re-teaching rules
When practicing these kanji, your goal is consistent, repeatable shapes. Use this routine each time you learn one character:
- Air-write once: trace the character in the air while saying the core cue (e.g., “in,” “out,” “up”).
- Slow-write 3 times: write large, focusing on clean intersections and balanced spacing.
- Normal-write 5 times: write at notebook size, keeping proportions stable.
- Speed-check 2 times: write quickly, then compare to your slow version; fix the part that drifted.
For this set, pay special attention to keeping 上 and 下 distinct (the placement of the short stroke is the key visual anchor), and keeping 入 and 人 distinct in your handwriting by controlling the opening and angle.
Exercises
Exercise 1: Map directions using kanji (右/左/上/下)
Step-by-step: (1) Draw a 3×3 grid. (2) Put a star in the center. (3) Write the kanji directions around it. (4) Read each route aloud as a kanji sequence.
上 | ||
左 | ★ | 右 |
下 |
Routes (write the kanji only):
- Route A: up, up, right, down
- Route B: left, left, down, right, up
- Route C: right, up, right, down, left
Answer format example: 上 上 右 下
Exercise 2: Match verb forms to the correct kanji
Match each verb to the kanji that best anchors its meaning. Write the kanji next to the verb.
| Verb | Choose from |
|---|---|
いく | 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩 |
くる | 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩 |
はいる | 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩 |
でる | 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩 |
あがる | 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩 |
さがる | 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩 |
あるく | 行 来 入 出 上 下 右 左 歩 |
Extra challenge: For 入 and 出, add the transitive partner next to it (e.g., はいる → 入, then also write いれる).
Exercise 3: Write short action phrases (with stroke order emphasis)
Write each phrase 3 times: (1) slow and large, (2) normal, (3) fast but neat. Underline the kanji you are practicing.
入口に入る(enter through the entrance)出口に行く(go to the exit)右へ行く(go to the right)左へ行く(go to the left)上に上がる(go up)下に下りる(go down)駅まで歩く(walk to the station)来週、来る(come next week)
Stroke-order emphasis checklist (use while rewriting):
- Did
上keep the short stroke higher than the main horizontal? - Did
下keep the short stroke lower (near the bottom area) and not drift upward? - Did
入stay narrow enough to look like “enter,” not like a wide人? - Did
出keep the inner/outer parts clearly separated so it doesn’t collapse into a blob?
