Straight

by Nao

Nao, nao, nao-su, nao-ru, tada-chini, choku, jiki, jika

A variety of readings. Like the name of calligrapher Nao, many people use this character for names. This is popular because it means straight, righteousness, and honesty.

When this character is read choku and combined with other characters, it often means straight or direct. Chokusen is a straight line. Sen is a line. Chokusetsu is often used as an adverb meaning directly. Setsu means to join. When na follows, some compounds become adjectives. Suichoku is perpendicularity and suichokuna means vertical or perpendicular. Jicchokuna means faithful and reliable.

When another character is added to choku and the second character begins with a k-sound, it becomes a double consonant. For example, with kei, we pronounce chokkei rather than saying chokukei. There are two words for chokkei. One is a diameter; the other is direct descent. The former kei means the distance from one side to the other. The latter kei means a system or a line. Another example is chokkaku, which means a right angle.

Tada-chini means immediately.

Jika-ni and chokusetsu(-ni) have the same meaning. Direct negotiations are called jikadanpan. Danpan is negotiation or bargaining.

Shōjiki or shōjikina means honest.

Nao-su means to make something straight or correct something while nao-ru means to be repaired or to be fixed.

All horizontal strokes are parallel.

1. Draw the horizontal stroke from the left to the right.
2. Draw the sweeping stroke from the top. It looks like a vertical stroke, but sweep and tilt it a little.
3. Draw the left side of the rectangle.
4. Draw the upper side and the right side of the rectangle.
5. Draw the upper horizontal stroke in the rectangle.
6. Draw the lower horizontal stroke in the rectangle.
7. Draw the lower side of the rectangle.
8. Draw the L-shaped stroke. You can separate this stroke into a vertical stroke and a horizontal line.