How to Write 年 (year, counter for years) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 6-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) character 年 (“year, counter for years”), indexed under the 干 (かん (shield/dry)) radical. Practice 年 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 今年 (ことし (kotoshi) — this year), 来年 (らいねん (rainen) — next year), 去年 (きょねん (kyonen) — last year).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (年)
Primary Radical (部首): 干 — かん (shield/dry)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 干
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生) (JLPT N5). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ネン) when 年 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (とし) when 年 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (6画): Written with 6 strokes, 年 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 干 (かん (shield/dry)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 干 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 干 (かん (shield/dry))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 6 strokes under radical 干.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 年
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 年 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 年 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 年 ("year, counter for years") is written with 6 strokes (6画) as a JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 干 (かん (shield/dry)) radical. Written with 6 strokes, 年 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 干 (かん (shield/dry)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 干 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 年?
For 年 (JLPT N5), the Onyomi is ネン and the Kunyomi is とし. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ネン) when 年 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (とし) when 年 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 年 includes 今年 (ことし (kotoshi) — this year), 来年 (らいねん (rainen) — next year), 去年 (きょねん (kyonen) — last year).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 年 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 6 strokes of 年 (year, counter for years), start with the 干 (かん (shield/dry)) 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 年 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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