How to Write 信 (faith, truth, fidelity, trust) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 信 (“faith, truth, fidelity, trust”), indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Practice 信 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 信 (シン / しん (shin) — faith).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (信)
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 N3). 信 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シン) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 信 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 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
人 (meaning) + 人 (sound ジン)
Derived from the meaning radical 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) and the phonetic component 人, giving the on-reading ジン / ニン.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 信
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 信 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 信 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 信 ("faith, truth, fidelity, trust") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N3 (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 9 strokes, 信 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 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 信?
For 信 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is シン and the Kunyomi is —. 信 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シン) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 信 includes 信 (シン / しん (shin) — faith).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 信 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 信 (faith, truth, fidelity, trust), 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 信 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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