How to Write 卑 (lowly, base, vile, vulgar, despise) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 卑 (“lowly, base, vile, vulgar, despise”), indexed under the 十 (じゅう (ten)) radical. Practice 卑 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 卑しい (いやしい (iyashii) — lowly), 卑しむ (いやしむ (iyashimu) — lowly).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (卑)
Primary Radical (部首): 十 — じゅう (ten)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 十
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヒ) when 卑 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いや.しい, いや.しむ, いや.しめる) when 卑 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 卑 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 十 (じゅう (ten)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 十 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 十 (じゅう (ten))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 9 strokes under radical 十.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 卑
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 卑 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 卑 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 卑 ("lowly, base, vile, vulgar, despise") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 十 (じゅう (ten)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 卑 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 十 (じゅう (ten)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 十 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 卑?
For 卑 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ヒ and the Kunyomi is いや.しい, いや.しむ, いや.しめる. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヒ) when 卑 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いや.しい, いや.しむ, いや.しめる) when 卑 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 卑 includes 卑しい (いやしい (iyashii) — lowly), 卑しむ (いやしむ (iyashimu) — lowly).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 卑 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 卑 (lowly, base, vile, vulgar, despise), start with the 十 (じゅう (ten)) 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 卑 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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