# 裁 — cut cloth; judge

裁 means “cut cloth; judge”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 12 strokes. On'yomi: サイ (sai). Kun'yomi: た(つ) (tatsu), さば(く) (sabaku). You'll see it in words such as 裁く (sabaku, “to judge; to try”).

- Meaning: cut cloth; judge
- On'yomi: サイ (sai)
- Kun'yomi: た(つ) (tatsu), さば(く) (sabaku)
- Strokes: 12
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Law & order 1

## How to remember 裁

Parts: 土 earth · 衣 garment · 戈 halberd

## Words with 裁

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 裁く | さばく (sabaku) | to judge; to try |
| 裁つ | たつ (tatsu) | to cut cloth |
| 裁き | さばき (sabaki) | judgment; judgement |

## More in the “Law & order 1” set

[裁](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/cut-cloth/) · [証](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/proof/) · [審](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/hearing/) · [訴](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/sue/) · [憲](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/constitution/) · [逮](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/arrest/) · [刑](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/punishment/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/cut-cloth/. Last updated 2026-11-01.