Meaning
The kanji 押 covers the actions of pushing, pressing, or holding something down with physical force. It also extends to stamping — as with a personal seal or hanko — and to suppressing emotions or resistance. You will see it on door signs, elevator panels, official documents, and instructions for machinery.
Structurally, 押 combines the hand radical 扌 (a simplified form of 手, "hand") on the left with 甲 (こう) on the right. The character 甲 originally depicted a shell or armor — something hard and resistant. The two components together suggest a hand pressing firmly against something unyielding. This visual logic makes 押 one of the more intuitive kanji to decode.
押 has 8 strokes and is classified as a Joyo kanji at the secondary school level (grade 8). It appears on the JLPT N3 exam. You will encounter it constantly in daily life — on doors marked 押す (push), in operating instructions, and in formal contexts involving official seals and legal documents.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading of 押 is オウ (ō). This reading surfaces mainly in formal compound words connected to official stamping, legal seizure, and poetic rhyme. It appears less often in casual speech than the kun'yomi readings, but it shows up in vocabulary worth knowing at the N3 level.
- 押印 (ōin) — affixing one's personal seal or stamp to a document; used in formal and legal contexts in Japan where hanko seals serve as signatures
- 押収 (ōshū) — confiscation or seizure; often used when police or authorities take evidence or property
- 押韻 (ōin) — rhyming in poetry; the "pressing together" of similar sounds at the end of lines
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi readings are お.す (o.su) and お.さえる (o.saeru). These are the forms you will encounter most often in everyday Japanese. Osu (押す) is the basic verb for "to push" or "to press." Osaeru (押さえる) means "to hold down," "to suppress," or "to grasp firmly." Both appear constantly in spoken and written Japanese.
- 押す (osu) — to push, to press; the most basic usage, seen on doors, buttons, and instructions everywhere in Japan
- 押し入れ (oshiire) — a traditional Japanese built-in storage closet, typically found in tatami rooms; literally "pushed-in storage"
- 押さえる (osaeru) — to hold down, to restrain, to keep under control; used both physically (holding a lid down) and metaphorically (suppressing emotions)
- 押し付ける (oshitsukeru) — to press against something; also used figuratively to mean "to impose one's will or opinion on someone"
Common Words & Compounds
押 forms a wide variety of compound words and expressions, covering physical actions, storage spaces, social dynamics, and legal language. Below are useful examples grouped by theme.
Physical actions:
- 押す (osu) — to push, to press
- 押さえる (osaeru) — to hold down, to suppress
- 押し込む (oshikomu) — to push in, to cram, to shove inside
- 押し出す (oshidasu) — to push out, to extrude
- 押し開ける (oshiakeru) — to push open (a door or window)
Storage and spaces:
- 押し入れ (oshiire) — traditional Japanese closet built into the wall
Interpersonal and social:
- 押し付ける (oshitsukeru) — to impose upon, to press against
- 押し問答 (oshimondō) — heated argument, back-and-forth dispute
- 押しが強い (oshi ga tsuyoi) — pushy, assertive, forceful (describing a person's personality)
Formal and legal:
- 押印 (ōin) — affixing an official seal
- 押収 (ōshū) — confiscation by authorities
- 指押し (yubioshi) — fingerprint stamp, thumbprint used as a signature
Example Sentences
このドアは押してください。引かないでください。
Kono doa wa oshite kudasai. Hikanaide kudasai.
Please push this door. Do not pull it.
赤いボタンを押すと警報が鳴ります。
Akai botan wo osu to keihō ga narimasu.
If you press the red button, the alarm will sound.
彼女は涙を押さえながら、最後まで話した。
Kanojo wa namida wo osaenagara, saigo made hanashita.
She spoke until the very end while holding back her tears.
警察は犯人の家から大量の証拠を押収した。
Keisatsu wa hannin no ie kara tairyō no shōko wo ōshū shita.
The police confiscated a large amount of evidence from the criminal's house.
子供のころ、押し入れの中に隠れてよく遊んだ。
Kodomo no koro, oshiire no naka ni kakurete yoku asonda.
When I was a child, I often played by hiding inside the closet.
あの上司はいつも自分の意見を部下に押し付ける。
Ano jōshi wa itsumo jibun no iken wo buka ni oshitsukeru.
That boss always imposes his own opinions on his subordinates.
契約書にサインして、押印をお願いします。
Keiyakusho ni sain shite, ōin wo onegai shimasu.
Please sign the contract and affix your seal.
荷物が多すぎて、全部押し込もうとしたが無理だった。
Nimotsu ga ōsugite, zenbu oshikomō to shita ga muri datta.
There was too much luggage — I tried to shove it all in but it was impossible.
彼は怒りを押さえ、冷静に状況を説明した。
Kare wa okori wo osae, reisei ni jōkyō wo setsumei shita.
He suppressed his anger and calmly explained the situation.
Memory Tip
Picture a hand (扌) encased in armor (甲) — a gauntleted fist pressing down hard on something. The armor makes the hand heavy and powerful, built for pushing and pressing. Now picture that armored hand stamping a personal seal (hanko) into hot wax — push, press, stamp. Every time you see 押, recall that iron-gloved hand bearing down with full force.
There is also a practical shortcut: the very first time most learners see this kanji is on a Japanese door. The sign reads 押す (osu) — PUSH. Push open your first door in Japan, and the kanji will stick.