Meaning
又 is one of the most fundamental characters in the Japanese writing system, compressed into just 2 strokes. Don't let the stroke count fool you — it does double duty as an independent kanji and as a radical (部首, bushu) embedded in dozens of more complex characters. Once you can spot 又 inside a kanji, a whole family of characters starts to feel familiar.
Etymologically, 又 is a pictograph of a human right hand viewed from the side. The upper curved stroke represents the thumb; the lower sweeping stroke captures the palm and fingers. In ancient oracle bone script (甲骨文字), the character looked even more like an open hand with individual fingers visible. Centuries of use across China and Japan compressed it into the clean two-stroke form we use today.
As a standalone word, 又 (また, mata) carries the core meanings of again, also, furthermore, and moreover. 又 expresses either repetition — an action happening once more — or addition, with something new stacked onto what's already been said. It also anchors the conjunction 又は (または, mata wa), meaning or / either… or. You'll find this form throughout formal writing, legal documents, and everyday conversation.
Classified as a secondary school level Joyo kanji (added to the official Joyo list in the 2010 revision), 又 has just 2 strokes. As radical number 29, it contributes a sense of hand action — grasping, receiving, taking — to the many characters it appears in.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading is ユウ (yū), but it's extremely rare in modern Japanese and absent from common compound vocabulary. ユウ turns up mainly in classical texts and literary contexts. Knowing it exists is enough — whenever you see 又 in contemporary Japanese, it will almost always be read as また.
Why so rare? 又 was absorbed into native Japanese so completely as the adverb また that the Sino-Japanese ユウ was pushed to the margins — an unusual outcome in a language where on'yomi tend to dominate compound vocabulary.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The reading you'll actually use is また (mata). また appears in everyday speech, formal writing, and all modern compounds built around 又. Use it as an adverb when meaning again or once more, and as a conjunction when meaning also or furthermore.
- 又は (mata wa) — or, either… or; indispensable in formal and written Japanese when presenting alternatives
- 又も (matamo) — once again, yet again; adds emphasis, often with a nuance of mild frustration or resignation
- 又又 (matamata) — again and again, repeatedly; casual and colloquial, often used in spoken Japanese
Common Words & Compounds
又 functions primarily as an adverb and conjunction, so its compounds cluster around three themes: repetition, alternatives, and secondhand/indirect relationships. Here are the most useful, grouped by meaning.
Alternatives and Conjunctions
- 又は (mata wa) — or, alternatively, either… or; one of the most frequently used conjunctions in formal Japanese writing and documents
- 且つ又 (katsu mata) — moreover, and also; a formal written conjunction for stacking multiple conditions or points emphatically
- 又もや (matamoya) — once again, yet again; colloquial expression carrying a mildly exasperated or resigned tone
Repetition and Recurrence
- 又も (matamo) — once again, once more; more emphatic than bare また, more commonly found in written or literary contexts
- 又又 (matamata) — again and again, over and over; very casual and frequently heard in spoken Japanese
- 又の日 (mata no hi) — another day, some other time; used naturally when postponing plans or deferring a matter
Secondhand and Indirect
- 又聞き (matagiki) — hearsay, secondhand information; information received not directly from the original source but through an intermediary
- 又貸し (matagashi) — subletting, relending; the act of lending something you yourself borrowed, or subleasing a rental property to a third party
- 又の名 (mata no na) — another name, alias, pseudonym; a secondary name used alongside or instead of one's formal name
Family Relations
- 又従兄弟 (mata itoko) — second cousin (male); the child of one's parent's first cousin, one relational step further than a first cousin
- 又従姉妹 (mata itoko) — second cousin (female); same generational distance but female
Example Sentences
明日、又来てください。
Ashita, mata kite kudasai.
Please come again tomorrow.
彼女は又遅刻してしまった。
Kanojo wa mata chikoku shite shimatta.
She was late again.
コーヒー又は紅茶、どちらがよろしいですか。
Kōhī mata wa kōcha, dochira ga yoroshii desu ka.
Would you prefer coffee or tea?
試験に又も落ちてしまった。
Shiken ni matamo ochite shimatta.
I failed the exam once again.
又もや雨か。せっかくの休日なのに。
Matamoya ame ka. Sekkaku no kyūjitsu na noni.
Rain yet again — on my day off, of all days.
その話は又聞きなので、確認が必要です。
Sono hanashi wa matagiki na node, kakunin ga hitsuyō desu.
That information is secondhand, so verification is necessary.
この部屋を又貸しすることは禁止されています。
Kono heya wo matagashi suru koto wa kinshi sarete imasu.
Subletting this room is prohibited.
彼は又又おなじ失敗を繰り返した。
Kare wa matamata onaji shippai wo kurikaeshita.
He repeated the same mistake again and again.
今日は都合が悪いので、又の日にしましょう。
Kyō wa tsugō ga warui node, mata no hi ni shimashō.
Today is inconvenient for me, so let's do it another day.
申込書又はメールにてご連絡ください。
Mōshikomisho mata wa mēru nite go-renraku kudasai.
Please contact us by application form or by email.
申請者は日本語能力試験N2に合格し、且つ又実務経験を有する者とする。
Shinseisha wa Nihongo Nōryoku Shiken N2 ni gōkaku shi, katsu mata jitsumu keiken wo yūsuru mono to suru.
Applicants must have passed JLPT N2 and moreover possess practical work experience.
彼の又の名は「鬼神」だと言われている。
Kare no mata no na wa "kishin" da to iwarete iru.
It is said that his other name is "Demon God."
Memory Tip
Picture 又 as a right hand reaching out for the second time. The short curved stroke at the top is the thumb; the long sweeping stroke at the bottom is the fingers. Imagine someone offers you a snack — you take one, then reach back for another piece. That second reach is 又 (また). Going back for more captures the meaning: again and also. Since 又 is the radical for right hand, look for it inside 取 (to take) and 受 (to receive) — both show a hand reaching out to grasp something.