Migi and Hidari Meaning: How to Say Left and Right in Japanese

What does migi mean in Japanese?

右（みぎ / migi） means right, the direction or side opposite hidari.

右を見てください。
Migi o mite kudasai.
Please look to the right.

銀行は道の右側にあります。
Ginkou wa michi no migi-gawa ni arimasu.
The bank is on the right side of the road.

What does hidari mean in Japanese?

左（ひだり / hidari） means left.

左を見てください。
Hidari o mite kudasai.
Please look to the left.

エレベーターは入口の左にあります。
Erebeetaa wa iriguchi no hidari ni arimasu.
The elevator is to the left of the entrance.

How to pronounce migi and hidari

Migi: み・ぎ

Migi has two morae: mi + gi. Keep both short. It is not “mee-gee” with long English vowels.

Hidari: ひ・だ・り

Hidari has three morae: hi + da + ri. The Japanese r is a light tap, not a strong English r.

Kanji, hiragana, and katakana

In normal Japanese writing, the kanji 右 and 左 are standard. Hiragana is useful for beginners and children’s materials. Katakana may be used for visual emphasis, game interfaces, or stylized dialogue.

Why do the kanji for right and left look similar?

Both characters preserve shapes connected with the hand, but their lower components differ.

• 右 contains 口. Traditional character analysis connects the form with a hand and mouth, and the older meaning “to help.”
• 左 contains 工. Character dictionaries analyze it as a left hand together with a tool, also connected historically with assisting.

These character histories explain the written forms, but they do not directly explain why the native Japanese readings are migi and hidari. The spoken Japanese words existed independently of the Chinese characters later used to write them.

How to say “turn right” and “turn left”

右に曲がる（migi ni magaru）— turn right

次の信号を右に曲がってください。
Tsugi no shingou o migi ni magatte kudasai.
Please turn right at the next traffic light.

左に曲がる（hidari ni magaru）— turn left

二つ目の角を左に曲がります。
Futatsume no kado o hidari ni magarimasu.
Turn left at the second corner.

The destination direction takes に. The corner or traffic light that acts as the turning point often takes を.

Migi e and hidari e: using the particle へ

You may also see 右へ and 左へ, especially on signs or in written instructions.

• 右へ進んでください。— Please proceed to the right.
• 左へ曲がってください。— Please turn left.

Both に and へ can mark direction. In ordinary spoken directions, migi ni magaru and hidari ni magaru are especially common. The particle へ emphasizes movement “toward” a direction.

Migi-gawa and hidari-gawa: right side and left side

側（がわ / gawa） means side.

右側のドアを使ってください。
Migi-gawa no doa o tsukatte kudasai.
Please use the door on the right.

左側に座ってもいいですか。
Hidari-gawa ni suwatte mo ii desu ka.
May I sit on the left side?

Migi and hidari alone are often enough. Adding -gawa makes the idea of “the side” explicit.

Right hand and left hand in Japanese

• 右手（みぎて / migite） — right hand
• 左手（ひだりて / hidarite） — left hand

右手を上げてください。
Migite o agete kudasai.
Please raise your right hand.

左手で箸を持ちます。
Hidarite de hashi o mochimasu.
I hold chopsticks with my left hand.

In older specialized vocabulary, the right hand can be called 馬手（めて / mete）, the hand used for reins, and the left hand 弓手（ゆんで / yunde）, the hand used to hold a bow. These terms are not needed for ordinary beginner conversation, but they reveal how traditional activities shaped directional vocabulary.

Common expressions using migi and hidari

右から左へ（migi kara hidari e）— from right to left

アラビア語は右から左へ書きます。
Arabia-go wa migi kara hidari e kakimasu.
Arabic is written from right to left.

左右（さゆう / sayuu）— left and right; both sides

道を渡る前に左右を見てください。
Michi o wataru mae ni sayuu o mite kudasai.
Look both ways before crossing the road.

Notice that the compound is read sayuu, not hidari-migi.

右往左往（うおうさおう / uousaou）— run around in confusion

Literally moving right and left, this four-character expression describes people rushing around without knowing what to do.

急な変更で、みんな右往左往していた。
Kyuu na henkou de, minna uousaou shite ita.
Everyone was running around in confusion because of the sudden change.

Giving directions with migi and hidari

A: すみません。駅はどこですか。
Excuse me. Where is the station?

B: この道をまっすぐ行って、最初の交差点を右に曲がってください。駅は左側にあります。
Go straight down this road and turn right at the first intersection. The station will be on your left.

This combines the three most important movement words:

• まっすぐ (massugu) — straight
• 右 (migi) — right
• 左 (hidari) — left

Migi and hidari in anime, games, and commands

Short commands often omit particles and verbs when the action is obvious.

右！
Migi!
Right!

左だ！
Hidari da!
It’s left! / Go left!

右から来る！
Migi kara kuru!
It’s coming from the right!

These clipped forms sound urgent and are common in action scenes, sports, games, and real-time instructions. In polite everyday directions, use the full form with 〜てください.

Common mistakes

1. Reversing the kanji

Both have five strokes and a similar top. Remember:

• 右 has a square 口 at the bottom.
• 左 has 工 at the bottom.

2. Saying migi o magaru in every context

右に曲がる is the basic pattern for “turn right.” The particle を normally marks the corner, road, or intersection you turn at or into.

3. Translating “right” without checking the meaning

English “right” can mean a direction, correctness, or a legal entitlement. Migi only covers the directional meaning.

• right side → 右
• correct → 正しい（tadashii）
• a right / entitlement → 権利（kenri）

FAQ

Does migi mean left or right?

Migi means right. Hidari means left.

How do you say “on your right” in Japanese?

Say 右にあります (migi ni arimasu) or, more explicitly, 右側にあります (migi-gawa ni arimasu).

How do you say “left-handed” in Japanese?

左利き（ひだりきき / hidari-kiki） means left-handed.

What is “right and left” in Japanese?

左右（さゆう / sayuu） means left and right or both sides.

Related direction guides

Review the full vocabulary map in Japanese direction words, then compare movement with massugu and location with tonari, yoko, and soba.

Summary