Kanji: 墨 (Ink/Black Ink)
The kanji 墨 means "ink," specifically the solid black ink used in East Asian calligraphy and ink painting. It is made from soot and animal glue, traditionally ground with water on an inkstone.
Key Reading:
On-yomi (Sino-Japanese reading): ボク (boku)
Kun-yomi (Japanese reading): すみ (sumi)
Common Words & Usage:
墨 (sumi) - Noun. Black ink.
墨絵 (sumi-e) - Noun. Ink wash painting.
墨汁 (bokujū) - Noun. Liquid ink (ready-to-use).
墨田区 (Sumida-ku) - Proper Noun. Sumida Ward (a district in Tokyo).
Example Sentence:
Japanese: 祖父は毎朝墨をすって書道を練習する。
Romaji: Sofu wa maiasa sumi o sutte shodō o renshū suru.
English: My grandfather grinds ink every morning to practice calligraphy.
Learning the correct stroke order for kanji like 墨 is essential for balanced, legible Japanese handwriting and is a fundamental part of mastering kanji writing.