日 rì — Japan; day; sun; date; day of the month
今天是十月一日。Jīn tiān shì shí yuè yī rì.Today is October first.
Common words: 生日 (shēng rì)、日期 (rì qī)、日子 (rì zi)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "sun"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "sun", including 日 (rì), 阳 (yáng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "sun" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 日 (rì), 阳 (yáng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span rì, yáng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 日 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 日 rìJapan; day; sun; date; day of the monthUseful words: 生日, 日期
- 阳 yángpositive (electric.); sunUseful words: 太阳, 阳光
Common words for these 2 "sun" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 日 (rì) — so "sun" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "sun".
阳 yáng — positive (electric.); sun
向阳的房间又亮又暖。Xiàng yáng de fáng jiān yòu liàng yòu nuǎn.A room facing the sun is bright and warm.
Common words: 太阳 (tài yang)、阳光 (yáng guāng)、阳台 (yáng tái)
All 2 characters
Open 日、阳 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.