How to Write 寿 (longevity, congratulations, one's natural life) — 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 寿 (“longevity, congratulations, one's natural life”), indexed under the 寸 (すん (inch)) radical. Practice 寿 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 寿 (ことぶき (kotobuki) — longevity), 寿く (ことぶく (kotobuku) — longevity).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (寿)
Primary Radical (部首): 寸 — すん (inch)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 寸
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジュ, ス, シュウ) when 寿 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ことぶき, ことぶ.く, ことほ.ぐ) when 寿 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 寿 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 寸 (すん (inch)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 寸 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: 寸 (すん (inch))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 寸.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 寿
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 寿 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 寿 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 寿 ("longevity, congratulations, one's natural life") 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 寸 (すん (inch)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 寿 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 寸 (すん (inch)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 寸 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 寿?
For 寿 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ジュ, ス, シュウ and the Kunyomi is ことぶき, ことぶ.く, ことほ.ぐ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジュ, ス, シュウ) when 寿 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ことぶき, ことぶ.く, ことほ.ぐ) when 寿 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 寿 includes 寿 (ことぶき (kotobuki) — longevity), 寿く (ことぶく (kotobuku) — longevity).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 寿 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 寿 (longevity, congratulations, one's natural life), start with the 寸 (すん (inch)) 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 寿 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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