How to Write 憎 (hate, detest) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 14-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 憎 (“hate, detest”), indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Practice 憎 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 憎む (にくむ (nikumu) — hate), 憎い (にくい (nikui) — hate).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (憎)
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 (ゾウ) when 憎 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (にく.む, にく.い, にく.らしい, にく.しみ) when 憎 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (14画): At 14 strokes, 憎 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 14 strokes under radical 心.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 憎
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 憎 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 憎 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 憎 ("hate, detest") is written with 14 strokes (14画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. At 14 strokes, 憎 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 憎?
For 憎 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ゾウ and the Kunyomi is にく.む, にく.い, にく.らしい, にく.しみ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ゾウ) when 憎 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (にく.む, にく.い, にく.らしい, にく.しみ) when 憎 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 憎 includes 憎む (にくむ (nikumu) — hate), 憎い (にくい (nikui) — hate).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 憎 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 14 strokes of 憎 (hate, detest), 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 憎 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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