Kanji

祖

ancestor, pioneer, founder

Kanji

Grade

Grade 5

Strokes

9 strokes

Radical

示部

On'yomi (Chinese Reading)

ソ

Nanori (Name Reading)

おや, さき, のり, はじめ, ひろ, もと

Common Readings

ソ

Example sentences

祖父 そふ
私の祖父は毎朝公園を散歩している。

My grandfather takes a walk in the park every morning.

庭 にわ
私の祖父は毎日庭の手入れをしています。

My grandfather takes care of the garden every day.

祖母 そぼ
私の祖母は、毎日公園を散歩しています。

My grandmother takes a walk in the park every day.

大事 だいじ
この指輪は、祖母から譲り受けたとても大事なものです。

This ring is a very precious item inherited from my grandmother.

先祖 せんぞ
私たちは、お盆に先祖の霊を供養します。

We hold a memorial service for our ancestors during Obon.

墓 はか
毎年お盆には家族で先祖の墓に参ります。

Every year during Obon, our family visits the ancestors' graves.

祖国 そこく
彼は祖国を離れ、外国で暮らすことに決めた。

He left his homeland and decided to live in a foreign country.

始祖 しそ
彼はこの学問の始祖として、後世に名を残した。

He left his name to posterity as the founder of this field of study.

エデン エデン
エデンの園は、人類の始祖が住んでいた楽園です。

The Garden of Eden is the paradise where the first humans lived.

祖先 そせん
私たちの祖先はアフリカから来ました。

Our ancestors came from Africa.

Example Vocabulary

祖父

そふ

grandfather

祖母

そぼ

grandmother

先祖

せんぞ

ancestor; forefather

祖国

そこく

homeland; motherland; fatherland; native country

始祖

しそ

founder; progenitor; originator

祖先

そせん

ancestor

祖父母

そふぼ

grandparents

祖

そ

教祖

きょうそ

先祖代々

せんぞだいだい

from generation to generation; for generations

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