Kanji 火 - fire
Kanji 火 means fire. Onyomi readings are カ (ka) . Kunyomi readings are ひ (hi), ほ (ho).
JLPT N5Grade 1
Stroke order animation (4 strokes)
Stroke Order Diagram
Each box shows the kanji up to that stroke. Red dot indicates stroke start point.
Readings of 火
音On'yomi (音読み)
カ(ka)
訓Kun'yomi (訓読み)
ひ(hi)
ほ(ho)
火 in different fonts
Vocabulary with 火
| Audio | English  | Romaji | Japanese | Kana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fire | hi | 火 | ひ | |
| Tuesday | kayoubi | 火曜日 | かようび |
Common words containing the kanji 火
More Information about 火
Common words with 火 (hi/ka) (everyday & safety)
- 火 (hi)（ひ）: fire; flame
- 火事 (kaji)（かじ）: fire (disaster)
- 火災 (kasai)（かさい）: (large) fire
- 消火 (shōka)（しょうか）: firefighting; putting out a fire
- 出火 (shukka)（しゅっか）: outbreak of fire
- 火の用心 (hi no yōjin)（ひのようじん）: Be careful with fire (common safety slogan)
Days & planets: why 火曜日 (kayōbi) and 火星 (Kasei)?
In the Five Elements (五行・ごぎょう - gogyō) system—木 (moku, wood), 火 (ka, fire), 土 (do, earth), 金 (kin, metal), 水 (sui, water)—each element links to a day and a planet. So 火 (ka) = fire, which matches 火曜日 (kayōbi)（かようび） = Tuesday and 火星 (Kasei)（かせい） = Mars (the red / fire planet). This old idea came from Chinese astronomy/astrology and influenced Japanese day names.
Cultural notes with 火 (hi/ka)
- 花火大会 (hanabi taikai)（はなびたいかい）: summer fireworks festivals held all over Japan.
- お盆 (Obon)の迎え火 (mukaebi)・送り火 (okuribi)（おぼんのむかえび・おくりび）: welcoming and sending-off bonfires during the Obon festival to guide ancestral spirits.
- 囲炉裏 (irori)（いろり）: a traditional sunken hearth once common in rural homes, used for cooking and heating.
