横 — “horizontal / side” in Japanese

Grade 3おう, よこ

Radical ⽊ · radical 75 The building block this kanji is filed under

“horizontal / side” in Japanese is 横, read ou, yoko (おう, よこ). It is a Grade 3 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 3 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 横断 (crossing).

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What does 横 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	横
Meaning	horizontal / side
Readings	おう, よこ
Grade	Grade 3 (Medium)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school
Example	横断 (crossing)

How to read 横

横 is read ou (おう) or yoko (よこ) depending on the word.

Words with 横

横断
横浜
横柄

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Kanji read the same way as 横

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

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Updated: 2026-08-28