How to Write 女 (woman, female) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 3-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) character 女 (“woman, female”), indexed under the 女 (おんな (woman)) radical. Practice 女 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 女の人 (おんなのひと (onnanohito) — woman), 彼女 (かのじょ (kanojo) — she / girlfriend).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (女)
Primary Radical (部首): 女 — おんな (woman)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Women, maternal relationships, and feminine traits
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生) (JLPT N5). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジョ, ニョ) when 女 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おんな, め) when 女 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (3画): With only 3 strokes, 女 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 女 (おんな (woman)) structure (Left (Hen / 偏) position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 女 (おんな (woman))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 3 strokes under radical 女.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 女
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 女 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 女 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 女 ("woman, female") is written with 3 strokes (3画) as a JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the 女 (おんな (woman)) radical. With only 3 strokes, 女 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 女 (おんな (woman)) structure (Left (Hen / 偏) position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 女?
For 女 (JLPT N5), the Onyomi is ジョ, ニョ and the Kunyomi is おんな, め. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジョ, ニョ) when 女 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おんな, め) when 女 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 女 includes 女の人 (おんなのひと (onnanohito) — woman), 彼女 (かのじょ (kanojo) — she / girlfriend).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 女 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 3 strokes of 女 (woman, female), start with the 女 (おんな (woman)) 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 女 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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