# 姓 — surname

姓 means “surname”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 8 strokes. On'yomi: セイ (sei), ショウ (shou). It has no common kun'yomi. You'll see it in words such as 姓 (sei, “surname; family name”).

- Meaning: surname
- On'yomi: セイ (sei), ショウ (shou)
- Kun'yomi: —
- Strokes: 8
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Family

## How to remember 姓

Sounds like 生: both read セイ.

Parts: 女 woman · 生 life; birth

## Words with 姓

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 姓 | せい (sei) | surname; family name |

## More in the “Family” set

[婦](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/married-woman/) · [児](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/toddler/) · [妻](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/wife/) · [婚](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/marriage/) · [娘](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/daughter/) · [祖](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/ancestor/) · [幼](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/very-young/) · [孫](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/grandchild/) · [姓](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/surname/)

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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/surname/. Last updated 2026-11-01.