How to Write 宵 (wee hours, evening, early night) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 10-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 宵 (“wee hours, evening, early night”), indexed under the 宀 (うかんむり (roof)) radical. Practice 宵 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 宵 (よい (yoi) — wee hours).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (宵)
Primary Radical (部首): 宀 — うかんむり (roof)
Radical Position: Top (Kanmuri / 冠) (冠 (Kanmuri))
Semantic Theme: Roofs, buildings, houses, shelter, and enclosures
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ショウ) when 宵 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (よい) when 宵 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (10画): Written with 10 strokes, 宵 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 宀 (うかんむり (roof)) radical (Top (Kanmuri / 冠) position). Establish the 宀 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 宀 (うかんむり (roof))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 10 strokes under radical 宀.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 宵
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 宵 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 宵 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 宵 ("wee hours, evening, early night") is written with 10 strokes (10画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 宀 (うかんむり (roof)) radical. Written with 10 strokes, 宵 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 宀 (うかんむり (roof)) radical (Top (Kanmuri / 冠) position). Establish the 宀 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 宵?
For 宵 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ショウ and the Kunyomi is よい. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ショウ) when 宵 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (よい) when 宵 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 宵 includes 宵 (よい (yoi) — wee hours).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 宵 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 10 strokes of 宵 (wee hours, evening, early night), start with the 宀 (うかんむり (roof)) in the Top (Kanmuri / 冠) (冠 (Kanmuri)) 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 宵 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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