How to Write 恥 (shame, dishonor) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 10-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 恥 (“shame, dishonor”), indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Practice 恥 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 恥じる (はじる (hajiru) — shame), 恥 (はじ (haji) — shame).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (恥)
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 (チ) when 恥 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (は.じる, はじ, は.じらう, は.ずかしい) when 恥 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (10画): Written with 10 strokes, 恥 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 8 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 10 strokes under radical 心.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 恥
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 恥 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 恥 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 恥 ("shame, dishonor") is written with 10 strokes (10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 10 strokes, 恥 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 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 恥?
For 恥 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is チ and the Kunyomi is は.じる, はじ, は.じらう, は.ずかしい. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (チ) when 恥 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (は.じる, はじ, は.じらう, は.ずかしい) when 恥 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 恥 includes 恥じる (はじる (hajiru) — shame), 恥 (はじ (haji) — shame).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 恥 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 10 strokes of 恥 (shame, dishonor), 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 恥 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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