How to Write 僧 (Buddhist priest, monk) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 13-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 僧 (“Buddhist priest, monk”), indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. Practice 僧 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 僧 (ソウ / そう (sou) — Buddhist priest).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (僧)
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 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). 僧 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ソウ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (13画): At 13 strokes, 僧 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 13 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 人 (ひと / にんべん (person))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 13 strokes under radical 人.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 僧
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 僧 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 僧 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 僧 ("Buddhist priest, monk") is written with 13 strokes (13画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical. At 13 strokes, 僧 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 人 (ひと / にんべん (person)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 13 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 僧?
For 僧 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ソウ and the Kunyomi is —. 僧 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ソウ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 僧 includes 僧 (ソウ / そう (sou) — Buddhist priest).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 僧 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 13 strokes of 僧 (Buddhist priest, monk), 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 僧 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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