How to Write 候 (climate, season, weather, wait for, expect) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 10-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 候 (“climate, season, weather, wait for, expect”), indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Practice 候 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 候 (そうろう (sourou) — climate).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (候)
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). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (コウ) when 候 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (そうろう) when 候 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (10画): Written with 10 strokes, 候 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 8 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 10 strokes under radical 人.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 候
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 候 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 候 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 候 ("climate, season, weather, wait for, expect") is written with 10 strokes (10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 10 strokes, 候 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 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 候?
For 候 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is コウ and the Kunyomi is そうろう. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (コウ) when 候 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (そうろう) when 候 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 候 includes 候 (そうろう (sourou) — climate).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 候 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 10 strokes of 候 (climate, season, weather, wait for, expect), 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 候 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N3 Characters to Practice Next
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