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:

火曜日は私の一番好きな曜日です。

Kayoubi wa watashi no ichiban suki na youbi desu

Tuesday is my favorite day of the week.

• 火曜日 - Tuesday in Japanese
• は - Japanese topic particle
• 私の - mine in Japanese
• 一番 - number one in Japanese
• 好きな - favorite in Japanese
• 曜日 - day of the week in Japanese
• です - being in Japanese

片仮名は日本語のアルファベットの一部です。

Katakana wa nihongo no arufabetto no ichibu desu

Katakana is part of the Japanese alphabet.

• 片仮名 - Japanese characters used to write words of Japanese origin
• は - Topic particle
• 日本語 - Japanese language
• の - Possessive particle
• アルファベット - alphabet
• の - Possessive particle
• 一部 - part
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

百人一首

Hyakunin Isshu

An anthology of classic Japanese poems.

One hundred people

• 百人一首 - List title

私たちは一緒に進める。

Watashitachi wa issho ni susumeru

We will move forward together.

We continue together.

• 私たち - 私たち
• は - Japanese topic particle
• 一緒に - "Juntos" in Japanese is "一緒に" (issho ni).
• 進める - 「進む」

私たちは一緒に歩みを進めていきましょう。

Watashitachi wa issho ni ayumi o susumete ikimashou

Let's go on together.

• 私たち - 私たち
• 一緒に - "Juntos" in Japanese is "一緒に" (issho ni).
• 歩み - "step" or "path" in Japanese
• を - Direct Object Particle in Japanese
• 進めて - "to advance" in Japanese (continuous form)
• いきましょう - "let's go" in Japanese (polite form)

私たちは一緒に素晴らしい時間を過ごしました。

Watashitachi wa issho ni subarashii jikan o sugoshimashita

We had a wonderful time together.

We had a wonderful time together.

• 私たちは - 「私たち」
• 一緒に - "Juntos" in Japanese is "一緒に" (issho ni).
• 素晴らしい - "Maravilhoso" em japonês
• 時間を - "Tempo" em japonês
• 過ごしました - "Passamos" in Japanese is "私たちは通りました" (Watashitachi wa toorimashita).

私たちは一つのチームです。

Watashitachi wa hitotsu no chīmu desu

We are a team.

• 私たちは - We
• 一つの - I'm sorry, but I need the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the content for translation.
• チーム - team
• です - we are

私の身長は一メートル六十センチです。

Watashi no shinchou wa ichi meetoru rokujuu senchi desu

My height is 1 meter and 60 centimeters.

My height is 60 cm per meter.

• 私の身長は - "Watashi no shinchou wa" means "My height is"
• 一メートル - "Ichi meetoru" means "One meter"
• 六十センチ - "Rokujuu senchi" means "Sixty centimeters"
• です - "Desu" is a particle that indicates the conclusion of the sentence and can be translated as "is" or "are"

紙幣は日本の通貨の一つです。

Shihei wa Nihon no tsūka no hitotsu desu

Banknotes are one of the Japanese currencies.

• 紙幣 (shihai) - paper money
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 日本 (nihon) - Japan
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• 通貨 (tsūka) - Coin
• の (no) - connecting particle
• 一つ (hitotsu) - I'm sorry, but I need the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the content for translation.
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar

統一は国家の発展に不可欠な要素です。

Tōitsu wa kokka no hatten ni fukaketsu na yōso desu

Unification is an essential element for the development of the nation.

• 統一 - means "unity" in Japanese.
• は - It is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 国家 - means "state" or "nation" in Japanese.
• の - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates possession or the relationship between two words.
• 発展 - means "development" or "growth" in Japanese.
• に - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the direction or purpose of an action.
• 不可欠 - means "essential" or "indispensable" in Japanese.
• な - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the adjectivization of a word.
• 要素 - means "element" or "factor" in Japanese.
• です - is a polite and respectful way of saying "to be" or "to be" in Japanese.