How to Write 抑 (repress, well, now, in the first place, push) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 抑 (“repress, well, now, in the first place, push”), indexed under the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical. Practice 抑 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 抑える (おさえる (osaeru) — repress).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (抑)
Primary Radical (部首): 手 — て / てへん (hand)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Hands, holding, grasping, craft, and manual action
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヨク) when 抑 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おさ.える) when 抑 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 抑 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 手 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: 手 (て / てへん (hand))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 手.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 抑
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 抑 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 抑 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 抑 ("repress, well, now, in the first place, push") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 抑 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 手 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 抑?
For 抑 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ヨク and the Kunyomi is おさ.える. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヨク) when 抑 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おさ.える) when 抑 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 抑 includes 抑える (おさえる (osaeru) — repress).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 抑 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 抑 (repress, well, now, in the first place, push), start with the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) 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 抑 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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