How to Write 事 (matter, thing, fact, business, reason) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 事 (“matter, thing, fact, business, reason”), indexed under the 亅 (はねぼう (hook)) radical. Practice 事 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 事 (こと (koto) — matter), 事う (つかう (tsukau) — matter).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (事)
Primary Radical (部首): 亅 — はねぼう (hook)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 亅
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジ, ズ) when 事 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こと, つか.う, つか.える) when 事 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 事 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 亅 (はねぼう (hook)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 亅 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 亅 (はねぼう (hook))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 亅.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 事
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 事 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 事 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 事 ("matter, thing, fact, business, reason") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 亅 (はねぼう (hook)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 事 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 亅 (はねぼう (hook)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 亅 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 事?
For 事 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is ジ, ズ and the Kunyomi is こと, つか.う, つか.える. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジ, ズ) when 事 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こと, つか.う, つか.える) when 事 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 事 includes 事 (こと (koto) — matter), 事う (つかう (tsukau) — matter).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 事 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 事 (matter, thing, fact, business, reason), start with the 亅 (はねぼう (hook)) 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 事 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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