How to Write 健 (healthy, health, strength, persistence) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 健 (“healthy, health, strength, persistence”), indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Practice 健 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 健やか (すこやか (sukoyaka) — healthy).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (健)
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 N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケン) when 健 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (すこ.やか) when 健 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 健 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 9 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 11 strokes under radical 人.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 健
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 健 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 健 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 健 ("healthy, health, strength, persistence") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N1 (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 11 strokes, 健 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 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 健?
For 健 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ケン and the Kunyomi is すこ.やか. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケン) when 健 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (すこ.やか) when 健 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 健 includes 健やか (すこやか (sukoyaka) — healthy).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 健 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 健 (healthy, health, strength, persistence), 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 健 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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