How to Write 休 (rest, day off, retire, sleep) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 6-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) character 休 (“rest, day off, retire, sleep”), indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Practice 休 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 休む (やすむ (yasumu) — rest), 休まる (やすまる (yasumaru) — rest).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (休)
Primary Radical (部首): 人 — ひと / にんべん (person)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Humans, people, relationships, and human behavior
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生) (JLPT N5). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (キュウ) when 休 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (やす.む, やす.まる, やす.める) when 休 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (6画): Written with 6 strokes, 休 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 人 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
人 (person) + 木 (tree)
Depicts a person (亻) leaning against a shade tree (木) to take a rest.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 休
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 休 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 休 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 休 ("rest, day off, retire, sleep") is written with 6 strokes (6画) as a JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Written with 6 strokes, 休 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 人 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 休?
For 休 (JLPT N5), the Onyomi is キュウ and the Kunyomi is やす.む, やす.まる, やす.める. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (キュウ) when 休 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (やす.む, やす.まる, やす.める) when 休 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 休 includes 休む (やすむ (yasumu) — rest), 休まる (やすまる (yasumaru) — rest).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 休 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 6 strokes of 休 (rest, day off, retire, sleep), start with the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) in the Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen)) 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 休 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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