How to Write 坊 (boy, priest's residence, priest) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 坊 (“boy, priest's residence, priest”), indexed under the 土 (つち (earth)) radical. Practice 坊 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 坊 (ボウ / ぼう (bou) — boy).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (坊)
Primary Radical (部首): 土 — つち (earth)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Ground, earth, clay, soil, land, and territory
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N2). 坊 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ボウ, ボッ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 坊 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 土 (つち (earth)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 土 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: 土 (つち (earth))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 土.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 坊
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 坊 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 坊 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 坊 ("boy, priest's residence, priest") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 土 (つち (earth)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 坊 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 土 (つち (earth)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 土 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 坊?
For 坊 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ボウ, ボッ and the Kunyomi is —. 坊 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ボウ, ボッ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 坊 includes 坊 (ボウ / ぼう (bou) — boy).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 坊 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 坊 (boy, priest's residence, priest), start with the 土 (つち (earth)) in the Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen)) 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 坊 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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