How to Write 招 (beckon, invite, summon, engage) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 招 (“beckon, invite, summon, engage”), indexed under the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical. Practice 招 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 招く (まねく (maneku) — beckon).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (招)
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 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ショウ) when 招 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まね.く) when 招 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 招 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) + 召 (sound ショウ)
Derived from the meaning radical 手 (て / てへん (hand)) and the phonetic component 召, giving the on-reading ショウ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 招
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 招 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 招 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 招 ("beckon, invite, summon, engage") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 招 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 招?
For 招 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ショウ and the Kunyomi is まね.く. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ショウ) when 招 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まね.く) when 招 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 招 includes 招く (まねく (maneku) — beckon).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 招 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 招 (beckon, invite, summon, engage), 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 招 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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