姓
せい · sei
Surname, family name
- hereditary title (used in ancient Japan to denote rank and political standing)
Other ways to say “surname” in Japanese →
high first, then falls · what is pitch accent?
Say it out loud
Press the microphone and say 姓 (せい)
Your browser’s speech recognition checks whether it understood you (in Chrome, Google processes the audio). Nihoner doesn’t record anything.
Do you really know it?
Learn its family in 60 seconds
6 words that share a kanji with 姓. Tap each card — then save only the ones that are new to you.
Your memory hook
Link the sound or the kanji to something you already know — a personal hook is one of the fastest ways to make a word stick. It’s saved to your free account with the word.
Kanji in this word
Can you write it? Draw kanji from memory →
Words that share a kanji
Questions
What does 姓 mean?
Surname, family name. It can also mean: hereditary title (used in ancient Japan to denote rank and political standing).
How do you pronounce 姓?
せい (sei). Pitch accent: atamadaka — high first, then falls. Press Listen above to hear it.
What JLPT level is 姓?
JLPT N2 — upper intermediate. See the JLPT N2 guide.
How do I remember 姓?
Say it out loud with an example sentence, test yourself above, then save it to your deck: Nihoner brings it back just before you would forget it (spaced repetition).
Save your words
Create a free account and they will be waiting in your review deck — Nihoner brings each one back right before you would forget it.
Free · no card · your words are kept