The Japanese kanji for nothing: 無
漢字 Kanji 39 of 40
The kanji for nothing: 無
The mu of Zen: the answer that is no answer.
無
- Meaning
- nothing, without
- Kun reading
- na(i) (Japanese)
- On reading
- MU (from Chinese)
- Strokes
- 12
書き順Stroke order
無 is written in 12 strokes, in this order. The red line is the new stroke at each step. Japanese is written top to bottom and left to right, and the order matters: it is what makes handwriting flow.
Stroke data from KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0.
使い方In everyday Japanese
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 無料 | muryō | free of charge |
| 無理 | muri | impossible, no way |
敬意Wearing it
The 'mu' of Zen runs deep, but on its own a Japanese reader may also see 'none', as on a sign. Wear it if that double meaning appeals.
Every kanji in 5C5V Studio is checked for meaning and context. Read our Respect Notes.
工房 Made just for you
Wear 無
Open 5C5V Studio, pick 無 from the kanji, choose a tee, hoodie, cap or beanie, and see it mocked up before you buy. Printed or embroidered, made to order.