之
KanjiJLPT N1
Of / ThisRadical: Boots
of, this
Mnemonic
Diagonal step forward with a sweeping base — pointing to this.
Details
The keyword for 之 is of / this. This is a classical Chinese character that functions as a grammatical particle, primarily serving as a possessive marker equivalent to "of" or as a demonstrative pronoun meaning "this" or "it." In ancient texts, it connected nouns to show possession or relationship, much like the modern particle 的. Though rarely used in modern Japanese on its own, it still appears in formal names, literary expressions, and set phrases, carrying an archaic and elegant tone.
- On'yomi
- し
- Kun'yomi
- の、これ、ゆく、この