How to Write 日 (rì) — Meaning “Sun / day”

Imagine a square window with a horizontal curtain rod across the middle — the sun shines through the window during the day. The outer box is the window frame, and the middle stroke is the rod, reminding you that 日 means both 'sun' and 'day'.

Write the outer frame first: left vertical stroke, then top horizontal, then right vertical, and finally the bottom horizontal. The middle horizontal stroke is drawn last and should not touch the right vertical line — leave a small gap to keep the character balanced and clear. A common mistake is making the box too wide or connecting the middle stroke to both sides.

日 means 'sun/day' and has a flat top and bottom with one horizontal line inside. 旦 (dàn, meaning 'dawn') adds a horizontal line at the very bottom, representing the sun rising above the horizon. 旧 (jiù, meaning 'old') has the same outer frame but the left vertical stroke extends above the top horizontal, and inside is a single slanted stroke resembling a '丿'.

日 is commonly used in time expressions like 日记 (rì jì, ‘diary,’ literally ‘day record’) and 生日 (shēng rì, ‘birthday’). It also appears in the name of Japan, 日本 (Rì běn, ‘Land of the Rising Sun’), showing its cultural importance as a symbol of the sun and new beginnings.

Common words containing 日 include: 日本 (rì běn) — Japan; 生日 (shēng rì) — birthday; 日记 (rì jì) — Diary.