Translation and Meaning of: 一 - ichi

If you are studying Japanese, you have certainly encountered the kanji 一 (いち), which simply means "one". But is this word as simple as it seems? In this article, we will delve into its etymology, its use in everyday Japanese, the meaning behind its unique stroke, and even some curiosities that will help you memorize it for good. Additionally, you will discover how this word appears in common expressions and why it is so important for those who want to master the basics of the language. Here at Suki Nihongo, you will also find practical examples and ready-made sentences to include in your Anki or other spaced repetition systems.

Origin and etymology of the kanji 一

The kanji 一 is one of the oldest and simplest in the Japanese language, directly derived from archaic Chinese. Its form is a unique horizontal line, representing the idea of unity, the first number in counting. Interestingly, this character is so essential that it appears in various other kanjis as a radical component, as in 二 (two) and 三 (three), which follow the same logic of stroke repetition.

In ancient China, writing began with records on bones and turtle shells, and "one" was represented by a single stroke. This simplicity has been maintained throughout the centuries, making it one of the first characters that students learn. If you've ever tried writing it by hand, you know it looks easy, but it requires a certain control to keep the stroke even — a challenge for beginners!

Everyday use and popular expressions

Besides being used alone as a numeral, 一 appears in several useful combinations. For example, 一人 (ひとり) means "one person" or "alone," while 一番 (いちばん) means "the best" or "first place." Anyone who has watched anime or Japanese dramas has certainly heard phrases like 「一番になりたい！」 ("I want to be number one!"). This word is also essential in basic counting, such as 一つ (ひとつ) for objects and 一日 (いちにち) for "one day."

Another interesting use is in proper names. Many Japanese people use 一 in their names to convey the idea of uniqueness or beginning, such as in 一郎 (Ichirō), a common name that carries the meaning of "first son". If you've ever wondered why so many anime characters have "ichi" in their name, now you know the reason!

Tips for memorization and curiosities

A fun way to remember this kanji is to associate it with something that has a single part — imagine a ruler with a single stroke or even a toothpick lying down. If you enjoy word games, it's worth knowing that いち can be used in puns, such as in the catchphrase 「いち、にの、さん！」 ("One, two, three!"), common in children's games. And if you have heard of the game Oicho-Kabu, a traditional Japanese card game, note that "Oicho" comes precisely from "1-2-3" in the old pronunciation.

For beginners, a valuable tip is to pay attention to the stroke order. Although it is just one line, it should be written from left to right, with a clear beginning and end. And if you've ever wondered why sometimes "1" in Japanese is written as １ (western numeral) and other times as 一, the answer is simple: informal contexts often use the numeral, while formal or traditional texts prefer the kanji.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• ひとつ (hitotsu) - One (count of objects)
• いち (ichi) - One (number)
• ひ (hi) - One (only, in some counts)
• かず (kazu) - Number (general)
• ひとり (hitori) - A person
• ひとつき (hitotsuki) - One month (time period)
• ひとあし (hitoashi) - One step
• ひとくち (hitokuchi) - A bite
• ひとくみ (hitokumi) - A set
• ひとづつ (hitodutsu) - One by one
• ひとせ (hitose) - one time
• ひとたび (hitotabi) - Once (in formal contexts)

一

Romaji: ichi
Kana: いち
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: (Num) one

Meaning in English: (num) one

Definition: Number one

Example Sentences - (一) ichi

See below some example sentences:

広がる世界を一緒に旅しましょう。

Hirogaru sekai wo issho ni tabi shimashou

Let's travel the world together.

• 広がる - verb that means "to spread", "to expand"
• 世界 - noun that means "world"
• を - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 一緒に - expression that means "together"
• 旅 - noun that means "trip"
• しましょう - verb that indicates a suggestion or invitation to do something together

彼は試験で一問も抜かさなかった。

Kare wa shiken de ichimon mo nukasanakatta

He did not let any questions pass on the exam.

He gave no doubt in the exam.

• 彼 - The Japanese pronoun that means "he" is 彼 (かれ, kare).
• は - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 試験 - Japanese noun that means "exam"
• で - Japanese particle that indicates the place where something happened.
• 一問 - Japanese noun that means "a question"
• も - Japanese particle that indicates inclusion, in this case, "not even one"
• 抜かさなかった - Japanese verb in the negative past that means "did not fail to respond"

感覚は人間の五感の一つです。

Kankaku wa ningen no gokan no hitotsu desu

Feeling is one of the five human senses.

The feeling is one of the five senses of humans.

• 感覚 - "sensation" in Japanese.
• は - Grammatical particle that indicates the theme of the sentence.
• 人間 - "human being" in Japanese.
• の - grammatical particle that indicates possession.
• 五感 - "five senses"
• の - grammatical particle that indicates possession.
• 一つ - means "one" in Japanese.
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese, indicating that the sentence is a statement.

懲りるは学ぶの第一歩です。

Chireru wa manabu no daiippo desu

Discipline is the first step to learning.

• 懲りる - learn from mistakes
• は - Topic particle
• 学ぶ - study, learn
• の - Possessive particle
• 第一歩 - First step
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

掛け算は算数の基本的な四則演算の一つです。

Kakezan wa sansū no kihonteki na shisoku enzan no hitotsu desu

Calculus is one of the four basic arithmetic operations of arithmetic.

• 掛け算 - multiplication
• は - Topic particle
• 算数 - arithmetic
• の - Possession particle
• 基本的 - basic
• な - adjectival suffix
• 四則演算 - basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
• の - Possession particle
• 一つ - I'm sorry, but I need the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the content for translation.
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

最初の一歩は大切です。

Saisho no ippo wa taisetsu desu

The first step is important.

• 最初の一歩 - First step
• は - Topic particle
• 大切 - important
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

月曜日は私の一番嫌いな曜日です。

Getsuyoubi wa watashi no ichiban kirai na youbi desu

Monday is my least favorite day of the week.

Monday is my most hated day.

• 月曜日 - means "Monday" in Japanese
• は - Japanese topic particle
• 私の - "Meu" in Japanese
• 一番 - "the most" or "number one" in Japanese
• 嫌いな - "hated" or "disliked" in Japanese
• 曜日 - "day of the week" in Japanese
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese

最高の一日を過ごしたいです。

Saikou no ichinichi wo sugoshitai desu

I want to spend the best day possible.

I want to spend the best day.

• 最高の - "better"
• 一日 - "day"
• を - direct object particle
• 過ごしたい - "want to pass"
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

木曜日は私の一番好きな曜日です。

Mokuyoubi wa watashi no ichiban suki na youbi desu

Thursday is my favorite day of the week.

• 木曜日 - Thursday" in Japanese
• は - Topic particle
• 私 - personal pronoun "I"
• の - Possession particle
• 一番 - superlative "the most"
• 好き - adjective "like"
• な - adjective particle
• 曜日 - day of the week in Japanese
• です - verb "ser/estar" in the polite form

水曜日は私の一番好きな曜日です。

Suiyoubi wa watashi no ichiban suki na youbi desu

Wednesday is my favorite day of the week.

• 水曜日 - Wednesday
• は - Topic particle
• 私の - my
• 一番 - the best/number one
• 好きな - favorite
• 曜日 - Dia da semana
• です - Verb to be/estar