How to Write 低 (lower, short, humble) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 低 (“lower, short, humble”), indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Practice 低 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 低い (ひくい (hikui) — lower), 低める (ひくめる (hikumeru) — lower).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (低)
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 4 (小学4年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (テイ) when 低 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ひく.い, ひく.める, ひく.まる) when 低 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 低 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 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 人 (ひと / にんべん (person))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 人.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 低
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 低 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 低 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 低 ("lower, short, humble") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 低 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 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 低?
For 低 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is テイ and the Kunyomi is ひく.い, ひく.める, ひく.まる. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (テイ) when 低 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ひく.い, ひく.める, ひく.まる) when 低 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 低 includes 低い (ひくい (hikui) — lower), 低める (ひくめる (hikumeru) — lower).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 低 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 低 (lower, short, humble), 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 低 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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