How to Write 抱 (embrace, hug, hold in arms) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 抱 (“embrace, hug, hold in arms”), indexed under the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical. Practice 抱 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 抱く (だく (daku) — embrace), 抱く (いだく (idaku) — embrace).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (抱)
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 N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ホウ) when 抱 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (だ.く, いだ.く, かか.える) when 抱 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 抱 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 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
手 (meaning) + 包 (sound ホウ)
Derived from the meaning radical 手 (て / てへん (hand)) and the phonetic component 包, giving the on-reading ホウ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 抱
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 抱 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 抱 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 抱 ("embrace, hug, hold in arms") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N3 (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 8 strokes, 抱 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 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 抱?
For 抱 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ホウ and the Kunyomi is だ.く, いだ.く, かか.える. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ホウ) when 抱 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (だ.く, いだ.く, かか.える) when 抱 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 抱 includes 抱く (だく (daku) — embrace), 抱く (いだく (idaku) — embrace).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 抱 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 抱 (embrace, hug, hold in arms), 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 抱 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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