How to Write 医 (doctor, medicine) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 医 (“doctor, medicine”), indexed under the 匸 (かくしがまえ (enclosure)) radical. Practice 医 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 医やす (いやす (iyasu) — doctor), 医する (いする (isuru) — doctor).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (医)
Primary Radical (部首): 匸 — かくしがまえ (enclosure)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 匸
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (イ) when 医 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (い.やす, い.する, くすし) when 医 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 医 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 匸 (かくしがまえ (enclosure)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 匸 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: 匸 (かくしがまえ (enclosure))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 匸.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 医
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 医 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 医 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 医 ("doctor, medicine") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 匸 (かくしがまえ (enclosure)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 医 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 匸 (かくしがまえ (enclosure)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 匸 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 医?
For 医 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is イ and the Kunyomi is い.やす, い.する, くすし. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (イ) when 医 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (い.やす, い.する, くすし) when 医 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 医 includes 医やす (いやす (iyasu) — doctor), 医する (いする (isuru) — doctor).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 医 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 医 (doctor, medicine), start with the 匸 (かくしがまえ (enclosure)) 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 医 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N4 Characters to Practice Next
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