How to Write 敏 (cleverness, agile, alert) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 10-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 敏 (“cleverness, agile, alert”), indexed under the 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike)) radical. Practice 敏 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 敏 (さとい (satoi) — cleverness).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (敏)
Primary Radical (部首): 攴 — ぼくづくり (strike)
Radical Position: Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri))
Semantic Theme: Tapping, governing, discipline, and intentional action
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ビン) when 敏 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (さとい) when 敏 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (10画): Written with 10 strokes, 敏 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position). Establish the 攴 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 10 strokes under radical 攴.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 敏
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 敏 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 敏 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 敏 ("cleverness, agile, alert") is written with 10 strokes (10画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike)) radical. Written with 10 strokes, 敏 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position). Establish the 攴 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 敏?
For 敏 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ビン and the Kunyomi is さとい. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ビン) when 敏 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (さとい) when 敏 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 敏 includes 敏 (さとい (satoi) — cleverness).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 敏 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 10 strokes of 敏 (cleverness, agile, alert), start with the 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike)) in the Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri)) 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 敏 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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