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:

一挙に成功する。

Ikkyo ni seikou suru

Succeed at once.

Success immediately.

• 一挙に - adverb meaning "at once" or "in one fell swoop"
• 成功する - verb meaning "to succeed" or "to succeed"

愛憎は表裏一体だ。

Aizou wa hyouri ittai da

Love and hate are the same currency.

• 愛憎 - Love and hate
• は - connecting particle
• 表裏 - front and back
• 一体 - unity, integrity
• だ - Verb "to be" in the present tense

鉄道は日本の交通手段の一つです。

Tetsudou wa Nihon no koutsu shudan no hitotsu desu

The railways are one of the means of transportation in Japan.

The railway is one of Japan's means of transport.

• 鉄道 - Means "railway" in Japanese.
• は - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "railroad".
• 日本 - Means "Japan" in Japanese.
• の - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates possession or belonging, in this case, "of Japan".
• 交通手段 - means "means of transport" in Japanese.
• の - again, it indicates possession or belonging, in this case, "of means of transport".
• 一つ - means "one" in Japanese, in this case, "one of the means of transport".
• です - It is a polite way to say "is" in Japanese.

連中は私たちと一緒に行くつもりですか？

Renchuu wa watashitachi to issho ni iku tsumori desu ka?

Are you planning to come with us?

Will they go with us?

• 連中 (renchuu) - means "they" or "them all"
• は (wa) - topic particle, indicates that "they" are the subject of the sentence
• 私たち (watashitachi) - means "we"
• と (to) - particle indicating a connection or company, in this case, "with"
• 一緒に (issho ni) - means "together"
• 行く (iku) - means "to go"
• つもりですか？ (tsumori desu ka?) - expression meaning "you intend" or "you intend to"

衆議院は日本の国会の一つです。

Shugiin wa Nihon no kokkai no hitotsu desu

The House of Representatives is one of the Japanese houses of parliament.

The House of Representatives is one of the Japanese diet.

• 衆議院 - Shugiin (House of Representatives)
• は - Topic particle
• 日本 - Nihon (Japan)
• の - Possession particle
• 国会 - Kokkai (Parliament)
• の - Possession particle
• 一つ - hitotsu (um)
• です - desu (is)

製鉄は日本の重要な産業の一つです。

Seitetsu wa Nihon no juuyou na sangyou no hitotsu desu

Steel production is one of Japan's important industries.

Siderúrgica is one of the important industries in Japan.

• 製鉄 (せいてつ) - siderurgia
• は - Topic particle
• 日本 (にほん) - Japan
• の - Possession particle
• 重要な (じゅうような) - important
• 産業 (さんぎょう) - industry
• の - Possession particle
• 一つ (ひとつ) - 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"

私たちはグループで一緒に仕事をします。

Watashitachi wa gurūpu de issho ni shigoto o shimasu

We work together as a group.

We work together in the group.

• 私たちは - "We"
• グループで - "in group"
• 一緒に - Together
• 仕事をします - "we work"

生存は人間にとって最も基本的な欲求の一つです。

Seizon wa ningen ni totte mottomo kihonteki na yokkyū no hitotsu desu

Survival is one of the most basic needs for human beings.

Survival is one of the most basic needs for human beings.

• 生存 - survival
• 人間 - Human being
• にとって - for
• 最も - the most
• 基本的な - fundamental
• 欲求 - wish
• の - of
• 一つ - I'm sorry, but I need the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the content for translation.
• です - is

畜産は日本の重要な産業の一つです。

Chikusan wa Nihon no juuyou na sangyou no hitotsu desu

Livestock is one of Japan's important industries.

Cattle is one of Japan's important industries.

• 畜産 - animal production
• は - Topic particle
• 日本 - Japan
• の - Possession particle
• 重要な - important
• 産業 - industry
• 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 - Ser/estar (linking verb)

炭素は地球上で最も豊富な元素の一つです。

Tanso wa chikyūjō de mottomo hōfu na genso no hitotsu desu

Carbon is one of the most abundant elements on Earth.

Carbon is one of the most abundant elements on Earth.

• 炭素 (tanso) - carbon
• は (wa) - marcador de tópico
• 地球上 (chikyuujo) - na Terra
• で (de) - marcador de localização
• 最も (mottomo) - maioria
• 豊富な (houfunna) - abundante
• 元素 (gensou) - element
• の (no) - possessive marker
• 一つ (hitotsu) - um
• です (desu) - copula