How to Write 我 (ego, I, selfish, our, oneself) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) character 我 (“ego, I, selfish, our, oneself”), indexed under the 戈 (かのほこ (spear)) radical. Practice 我 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 我 (われ (ware) — ego), 我 (わ (wa) — ego).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (我)
Primary Radical (部首): 戈 — かのほこ (spear)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 戈
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガ) when 我 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (われ, わ, わ.が-, わが-) when 我 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 我 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 戈 (かのほこ (spear)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 戈 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 戈 (かのほこ (spear))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 戈.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 我
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 我 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 我 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 我 ("ego, I, selfish, our, oneself") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 戈 (かのほこ (spear)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 我 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 戈 (かのほこ (spear)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 戈 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 我?
For 我 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ガ and the Kunyomi is われ, わ, わ.が-, わが-. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガ) when 我 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (われ, わ, わ.が-, わが-) when 我 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 我 includes 我 (われ (ware) — ego), 我 (わ (wa) — ego).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 我 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 我 (ego, I, selfish, our, oneself), start with the 戈 (かのほこ (spear)) in the Standalone / Integrated (部首) 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 我 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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