を (wo) — Meaning & Examples

を marks the direct object — the thing that receives the action of the verb.

Structure: [Subject] は [Object] を [Verb]

わたしは すしを たべます。
— I eat sushi.

かれは にほんごを べんきょうします。
— He studies Japanese.

おんがくを ききます。
— I listen to music.

Important: を is written as を but pronounced just "o" in modern Japanese. You may also see it romanised as "wo" — both refer to the same character.

を with movement verbs:
みちを あるきます。 — I walk along the road.
はしを わたります。 — I cross the bridge.
こうえんを さんぽします。 — I take a walk through the park.

Here を marks the route or path — what is moved through or along, rather than a true direct object.

を cannot be used with adjectives:
すしが すきです。✅ (I like sushi — が with すき)
すしを すきです。❌ (incorrect — すき is an adjective, not an action verb)