# 狭 — narrow

狭 means “narrow”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 9 strokes. On'yomi: キョウ (kyou). Kun'yomi: せま(い) (semai), せば(める) (sebameru). You'll see it in words such as 狭める (sebameru, “to narrow; to reduce”).

- Meaning: narrow
- On'yomi: キョウ (kyou)
- Kun'yomi: せま(い) (semai), せば(める) (sebameru)
- Strokes: 9
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Shapes

## How to remember 狭

Parts: 犭 beast · 夹 between

## Words with 狭

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 狭める | せばめる (sebameru) | to narrow; to reduce |
| 狭まる | せばまる (sebamaru) | to narrow; to contract |
| 狭い | せまい (semai) | narrow; confined |

## Don't confuse it with

[挟](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/pinch/) · [峡](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/gorge/) · [替](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/substitute/)

## More in the “Shapes” set

[幅](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/width/) · [輪](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/wheel/) · [厚](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/thick-flat-things/) · [巨](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/huge/) · [狭](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/narrow/)

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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/n2-kanji/narrow/. Last updated 2026-11-01.