How to Write 丸 (round, full (month), perfection, -ship, pills) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 3-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) character 丸 (“round, full (month), perfection, -ship, pills”), indexed under the 丶 (てん (dot)) radical. Practice 丸 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 丸 (まる (maru) — round), 丸める (まるめる (marumeru) — round).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (丸)
Primary Radical (部首): 丶 — てん (dot)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 丶
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガン) when 丸 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まる, まる.める, まる.い) when 丸 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (3画): With only 3 strokes, 丸 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 丶 (てん (dot)) structure (Standalone / Integrated position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 丶 (てん (dot))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 3 strokes under radical 丶.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 丸
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 丸 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 丸 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 丸 ("round, full (month), perfection, -ship, pills") is written with 3 strokes (3画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the 丶 (てん (dot)) radical. With only 3 strokes, 丸 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 丶 (てん (dot)) structure (Standalone / Integrated position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 丸?
For 丸 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ガン and the Kunyomi is まる, まる.める, まる.い. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガン) when 丸 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まる, まる.める, まる.い) when 丸 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 丸 includes 丸 (まる (maru) — round), 丸める (まるめる (marumeru) — round).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 丸 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 3 strokes of 丸 (round, full (month), perfection, -ship, pills), start with the 丶 (てん (dot)) in the Standalone / Integrated (部首) position and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice 丸 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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