“tongue” in Japanese is 舌, read zetsu, shita (ぜつ, した). It is a Grade 5 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 5 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 舌打ち (clicking the tongue).
What does 舌 mean?
熱くて舌をやけどした。
| Kanji | 舌 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | tongue |
| Readings | ぜつ, した |
| Grade | Grade 5 (Hard) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 舌打ち (clicking the tongue) |
舌 is read zetsu (ぜつ) or shita (した) depending on the word.
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side: