How to Write 挑 (challenge, contend for, make love to) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 挑 (“challenge, contend for, make love to”), indexed under the 手 (て / てへん (hand)) radical. Practice 挑 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 挑む (いどむ (idomu) — challenge).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (挑)
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 (チョウ) when 挑 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いど.む) when 挑 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 挑 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 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
手 (meaning) + 兆 (sound チョウ)
Derived from the meaning radical 手 (て / てへん (hand)) and the phonetic component 兆, giving the on-reading チョウ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 挑
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 挑 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 挑 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 挑 ("challenge, contend for, make love to") is written with 9 strokes (9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 9 strokes, 挑 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 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 挑?
For 挑 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is チョウ and the Kunyomi is いど.む. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (チョウ) when 挑 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いど.む) when 挑 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 挑 includes 挑む (いどむ (idomu) — challenge).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 挑 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 挑 (challenge, contend for, make love to), 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 挑 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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