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祖
Ancestor, Founder
JLPT N3
Interesting Fact
The kanji 祖 appears in words like 祖父 (grandfather) and 祖先 (ancestors). During the Obon festival, many Japanese families honor their ancestors by visiting graves and offering prayers.
Memory Trick
Imagine an old FAMILY TREE stretching back through many generations. At the very top stands your ANCESTOR.
Readings
Onyomi: ソ (so)
Kunyomi:
Example Words
祖父
そふ (sofu)
Grandfather
祖母
そぼ (sobo)
Grandmother
祖先
そせん (sosen)
Ancestor
元祖
がんそ (ganso)
Original founder
Example Sentence
祖父は 九十歳です。
そふは きゅうじゅっさいです。
sofu wa kyuujussai desu
My grandfather is ninety years old.