How to Write 悩 (trouble, worry, in pain, distress, illness) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 10-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 悩 (“trouble, worry, in pain, distress, illness”), indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Practice 悩 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 悩む (なやむ (nayamu) — trouble), 悩ます (なやます (nayamasu) — trouble).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (悩)
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 N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ノウ) when 悩 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (なや.む, なや.ます, なや.ましい, なやみ) when 悩 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (10画): Written with 10 strokes, 悩 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 悩
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 悩 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 悩 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 悩 ("trouble, worry, in pain, distress, illness") is written with 10 strokes (10画) as a JLPT N2 (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, 悩 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 悩?
For 悩 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ノウ and the Kunyomi is なや.む, なや.ます, なや.ましい, なやみ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ノウ) when 悩 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (なや.む, なや.ます, なや.ましい, なやみ) when 悩 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 悩 includes 悩む (なやむ (nayamu) — trouble), 悩ます (なやます (nayamasu) — trouble).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 悩 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 10 strokes of 悩 (trouble, worry, in pain, distress, illness), 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 悩 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N2 Characters to Practice Next
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