How to Write 斎 (purification, Buddhist food, room, worship, avoid) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 斎 (“purification, Buddhist food, room, worship, avoid”), indexed under the 文 (ぶん (script)) radical. Practice 斎 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 斎 (とき (toki) — purification), 斎む (つつしむ (tsutsushimu) — purification).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (斎)
Primary Radical (部首): 文 — ぶん (script)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 文
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (サイ) when 斎 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (とき, つつし.む, ものいみ, い.む, いわ.う, いつ.く) when 斎 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 斎 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 文 (ぶん (script)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 文 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: 文 (ぶん (script))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 11 strokes under radical 文.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 斎
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 斎 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 斎 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 斎 ("purification, Buddhist food, room, worship, avoid") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 文 (ぶん (script)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 斎 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 文 (ぶん (script)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 文 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 斎?
For 斎 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is サイ and the Kunyomi is とき, つつし.む, ものいみ, い.む, いわ.う, いつ.く. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (サイ) when 斎 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (とき, つつし.む, ものいみ, い.む, いわ.う, いつ.く) when 斎 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 斎 includes 斎 (とき (toki) — purification), 斎む (つつしむ (tsutsushimu) — purification).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 斎 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 斎 (purification, Buddhist food, room, worship, avoid), start with the 文 (ぶん (script)) in the Standalone / Integrated (部首) 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 斎 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N1 Characters to Practice Next
View Full JLPT N1 Kanji List →Unlock All 2,000+ JLPT N5–N1 Kanji, AI Sensei & Unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF Books
Get lifetime access to all 2,136 Jōyō Kanji (JLPT N5–N1), AI Kanji Sensei mnemonics, and unlimited Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheets for a one-time payment of $17.99 USD (10% OFF the $19.99 Lifetime Pro Pass with promo code KANJI10). Zero monthly subscriptions!