How to Write 児 (newborn babe, child, young of animals) — 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 児 (“newborn babe, child, young of animals”), indexed under the 儿 (ひとあし (legs)) radical. Practice 児 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 児 (こ (ko) — newborn babe), 児 (こ (ko) — newborn babe).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (児)
Primary Radical (部首): 儿 — ひとあし (legs)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 儿
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジ, ニ, ゲイ) when 児 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こ, -こ, -っこ) when 児 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 児 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 儿 (ひとあし (legs)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 儿 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: 儿 (ひとあし (legs))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 儿.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 児
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 児 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 児 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 児 ("newborn babe, child, young of animals") 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 儿 (ひとあし (legs)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 児 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 儿 (ひとあし (legs)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 儿 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 児?
For 児 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ジ, ニ, ゲイ and the Kunyomi is こ, -こ, -っこ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジ, ニ, ゲイ) when 児 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こ, -こ, -っこ) when 児 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 児 includes 児 (こ (ko) — newborn babe), 児 (こ (ko) — newborn babe).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 児 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 児 (newborn babe, child, young of animals), start with the 儿 (ひとあし (legs)) in the Standalone / Integrated (部首) 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 児 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N2 Characters to Practice Next
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