How to Write 往 (journey, travel, chase away, let go, going) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 往 (“journey, travel, chase away, let go, going”), indexed under the 彳 (ぎょうにんべん (step/action)) radical. Practice 往 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 往く (いく (iku) — journey), 往 (いにしえ (inishie) — journey).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (往)
Primary Radical (部首): 彳 — ぎょうにんべん (step/action)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 彳
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (オウ) when 往 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (い.く, いにしえ, さき.に, ゆ.く) when 往 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 往 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 彳 (ぎょうにんべん (step/action)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 彳 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: 彳 (ぎょうにんべん (step/action))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 彳.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 往
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 往 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 往 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 往 ("journey, travel, chase away, let go, going") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 彳 (ぎょうにんべん (step/action)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 往 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 彳 (ぎょうにんべん (step/action)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 彳 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 往?
For 往 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is オウ and the Kunyomi is い.く, いにしえ, さき.に, ゆ.く. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (オウ) when 往 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (い.く, いにしえ, さき.に, ゆ.く) when 往 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 往 includes 往く (いく (iku) — journey), 往 (いにしえ (inishie) — journey).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 往 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 往 (journey, travel, chase away, let go, going), start with the 彳 (ぎょうにんべん (step/action)) 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 往 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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