早 — “early / fast” in Japanese

Grade 1そう, さっ, はや

Radical ⽇ · radical 72 The building block this kanji is filed under

“early / fast” in Japanese is 早, read sou, sa, haya (そう, さっ, はや). It is a Grade 1 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 1 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 早起き (early rising).

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What does 早 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	早
Meaning	early / fast
Readings	そう, さっ, はや
Grade	Grade 1 (Easiest)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	早起き (early rising)

How to read 早

早 is read sou (そう) or sa (さっ) or haya (はや) depending on the word.

Words with 早

早期そうき
早起き

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Kanji read the same way as 早

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

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Updated: 2026-08-28