How to Write 亥 (sign of the hog, 9-11PM, twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 6-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) character 亥 (“sign of the hog, 9-11PM, twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac”), indexed under the 亠 (なべぶた (lid)) radical. Practice 亥 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 亥 (い (i) — sign of the hog).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (亥)
Primary Radical (部首): 亠 — なべぶた (lid)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 亠
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガイ, カイ) when 亥 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (い) when 亥 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (6画): Written with 6 strokes, 亥 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 亠 (なべぶた (lid)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 亠 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 亠 (なべぶた (lid))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 6 strokes under radical 亠.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 亥
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 亥 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 亥 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 亥 ("sign of the hog, 9-11PM, twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac") is written with 6 strokes (6画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 亠 (なべぶた (lid)) radical. Written with 6 strokes, 亥 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 亠 (なべぶた (lid)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 亠 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 亥?
For 亥 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ガイ, カイ and the Kunyomi is い. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガイ, カイ) when 亥 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (い) when 亥 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 亥 includes 亥 (い (i) — sign of the hog).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 亥 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 6 strokes of 亥 (sign of the hog, 9-11PM, twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac), start with the 亠 (なべぶた (lid)) 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 亥 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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