SHI yo (four)

ASCII Art Representation:

 
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Character Etymology:

Four was one shown much like the kanji for three is presented today: it was drawn with four parallel horizonal strokes representing the way the hand used to show the count of four.

The character which represents four today once meant breath, "that which emerges from the mouth," but was used as a phonetic substitute for the old character for four Perhaps, this was because its shape was a rough approximation of the four fingers of a fist held palm side down.

A Listing of All On-Yomi and Kun-Yomi Readings:

on-yomi: SHI
kun-yomi: yo yo(tsu) yo(tsu) yon

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: a tsu yotsu

English Definitions:

1. SHI: four
2. yo(tsu), yo(ttsu), yo, yon: four.

Unicode Encoded Version:

四

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

四月 (shigatsu): April.
四日 (yokka): the fourth day (of the month).
四回 (yonkai): four times.

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