How to Write 急 (hurry, emergency, sudden, steep) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 急 (“hurry, emergency, sudden, steep”), indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Practice 急 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 急ぐ (いそぐ (isogu) — hurry), 急ぎ (いそぎ (isogi) — hurry).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (急)
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 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (キュウ) when 急 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いそ.ぐ, いそ.ぎ, せ.く) when 急 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 急 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 7 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 9 strokes under radical 心.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 急
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 急 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 急 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 急 ("hurry, emergency, sudden, steep") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3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 9 strokes, 急 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 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 急?
For 急 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is キュウ and the Kunyomi is いそ.ぐ, いそ.ぎ, せ.く. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (キュウ) when 急 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いそ.ぐ, いそ.ぎ, せ.く) when 急 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 急 includes 急ぐ (いそぐ (isogu) — hurry), 急ぎ (いそぎ (isogi) — hurry).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 急 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 急 (hurry, emergency, sudden, steep), 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 急 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N4 Characters to Practice Next
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