How to Write 乙 (the latter, duplicate, strange, witty, fishhook radical (no. 5)) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 1-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 乙 (“the latter, duplicate, strange, witty, fishhook radical (no. 5)”), indexed under the 乙 (おつ (second)) radical. Practice 乙 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 乙 (おと (oto) — the latter), 乙 (きのと (kinoto) — the latter).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (乙)
Primary Radical (部首): 乙 — おつ (second)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 乙
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (オツ, イツ) when 乙 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おと-, きのと) when 乙 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (1画): With only 1 stroke, 乙 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 乙 (おつ (second)) 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: 乙 (おつ (second))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 1 strokes under radical 乙.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 乙
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 乙 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 乙 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 乙 ("the latter, duplicate, strange, witty, fishhook radical (no. 5)") is written with 1 stroke (1画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the 乙 (おつ (second)) radical. With only 1 stroke, 乙 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 乙 (おつ (second)) 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 乙?
For 乙 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is オツ, イツ and the Kunyomi is おと-, きのと. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (オツ, イツ) when 乙 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おと-, きのと) when 乙 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 乙 includes 乙 (おと (oto) — the latter), 乙 (きのと (kinoto) — the latter).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 乙 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 1 strokes of 乙 (the latter, duplicate, strange, witty, fishhook radical (no. 5)), start with the 乙 (おつ (second)) 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 乙 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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