How to Write 厳 (stern, strictness, severity, rigidity) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 17-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) character 厳 (“stern, strictness, severity, rigidity”), indexed under the 厂 (がんだれ (cliff)) radical. Practice 厳 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 厳か (おごそか (ogosoka) — stern), 厳しい (きびしい (kibishii) — stern).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (厳)
Primary Radical (部首): 厂 — がんだれ (cliff)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 厂
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ゲン, ゴン) when 厳 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おごそ.か, きび.しい, いか.めしい, いつくし) when 厳 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (17画): At 17 strokes, 厳 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 厂 (がんだれ (cliff)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 17 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 厂 (がんだれ (cliff))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 17 strokes under radical 厂.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 厳
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 厳 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 厳 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 厳 ("stern, strictness, severity, rigidity") is written with 17 strokes (17画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 厂 (がんだれ (cliff)) radical. At 17 strokes, 厳 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 厂 (がんだれ (cliff)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 17 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 厳?
For 厳 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ゲン, ゴン and the Kunyomi is おごそ.か, きび.しい, いか.めしい, いつくし. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ゲン, ゴン) when 厳 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おごそ.か, きび.しい, いか.めしい, いつくし) when 厳 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 厳 includes 厳か (おごそか (ogosoka) — stern), 厳しい (きびしい (kibishii) — stern).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 厳 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 17 strokes of 厳 (stern, strictness, severity, rigidity), start with the 厂 (がんだれ (cliff)) 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 厳 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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