背 — back / stature

Grade 6はい, せ, せい, そむ

背 (readings: はい, せ, せい, そむ; Japanese kanji) means “back / stature”. It is a Grade 6 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 6 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 背中 (the back).

What does 背 mean?

Kanji	背
Meaning	back / stature
Readings	はい, せ, せい, そむ
Grade	Grade 6 (Hardest)
Curriculum	Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school

How to read 背

背 is read はい or せ or せい or そむ depending on the word.

Example words with 背

Example	背中 (the back)

Practice writing 背 — free

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Updated: 2026-07-14