How to Write 夜 (night, evening) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) character 夜 (“night, evening”), indexed under the 夕 (ゆうべ (evening)) radical. Practice 夜 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 夜 (よ (yo) — night), 夜 (よる (yoru) — night).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (夜)
Primary Radical (部首): 夕 — ゆうべ (evening)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 夕
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヤ) when 夜 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (よ, よる) when 夜 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 夜 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 夕 (ゆうべ (evening)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 夕 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 夕 (ゆうべ (evening))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 夕.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 夜
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 夜 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 夜 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 夜 ("night, evening") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 夕 (ゆうべ (evening)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 夜 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 夕 (ゆうべ (evening)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 夕 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 夜?
For 夜 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is ヤ and the Kunyomi is よ, よる. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヤ) when 夜 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (よ, よる) when 夜 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 夜 includes 夜 (よ (yo) — night), 夜 (よる (yoru) — night).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 夜 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 夜 (night, evening), start with the 夕 (ゆうべ (evening)) 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 夜 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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