How to Write 刑 (punish, penalty, sentence, punishment) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 6-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 刑 (“punish, penalty, sentence, punishment”), indexed under the 刀 (かたな / りっとう (sword)) radical. Practice 刑 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 刑 (ケイ / けい (kei) — punish).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (刑)
Primary Radical (部首): 刀 — かたな / りっとう (sword)
Radical Position: Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri))
Semantic Theme: Knives, swords, cutting, dividing, and sharpness
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). 刑 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケイ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (6画): Written with 6 strokes, 刑 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 刀 (かたな / りっとう (sword)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position). Establish the 刀 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 刀 (かたな / りっとう (sword))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 6 strokes under radical 刀.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 刑
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 刑 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 刑 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 刑 ("punish, penalty, sentence, punishment") is written with 6 strokes (6画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 刀 (かたな / りっとう (sword)) radical. Written with 6 strokes, 刑 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 刀 (かたな / りっとう (sword)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position). Establish the 刀 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 刑?
For 刑 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ケイ and the Kunyomi is —. 刑 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケイ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 刑 includes 刑 (ケイ / けい (kei) — punish).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 刑 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 6 strokes of 刑 (punish, penalty, sentence, punishment), start with the 刀 (かたな / りっとう (sword)) in the Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri)) 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 刑 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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