How to Write 怖 (dreadful, be frightened, fearful) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 怖 (“dreadful, be frightened, fearful”), indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Practice 怖 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 怖い (こわい (kowai) — dreadful), 怖がる (こわがる (kowagaru) — dreadful).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (怖)
Primary Radical (部首): 心 — こころ / りっしんべん (heart)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Heart, thoughts, emotions, and psychological states
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (フ, ホ) when 怖 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こわ.い, こわ.がる, お.じる, おそ.れる) when 怖 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 怖 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 心 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: 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 心.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 怖
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 怖 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 怖 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 怖 ("dreadful, be frightened, fearful") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 怖 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 心 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 怖?
For 怖 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is フ, ホ and the Kunyomi is こわ.い, こわ.がる, お.じる, おそ.れる. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (フ, ホ) when 怖 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こわ.い, こわ.がる, お.じる, おそ.れる) when 怖 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 怖 includes 怖い (こわい (kowai) — dreadful), 怖がる (こわがる (kowagaru) — dreadful).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 怖 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 怖 (dreadful, be frightened, fearful), start with the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) 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 怖 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N3 Characters to Practice Next
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