How to Write 教 (teach, faith, doctrine) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) character 教 (“teach, faith, doctrine”), indexed under the 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike)) radical. Practice 教 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 教える (おしえる (oshieru) — teach), 教わる (おそわる (osowaru) — teach).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (教)
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 2 (小学2年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (キョウ) when 教 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おし.える, おそ.わる) when 教 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 教 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 9 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 11 strokes under radical 攴.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 教
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 教 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 教 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 教 ("teach, faith, doctrine") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 攴 (ぼくづくり (strike)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 教 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 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 教?
For 教 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is キョウ and the Kunyomi is おし.える, おそ.わる. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (キョウ) when 教 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おし.える, おそ.わる) when 教 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 教 includes 教える (おしえる (oshieru) — teach), 教わる (おそわる (osowaru) — teach).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 教 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 教 (teach, faith, doctrine), 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 教 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N4 Characters to Practice Next
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