How to Write 斬 (beheading, kill, murder) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 斬 (“beheading, kill, murder”), indexed under the 斤 (おの (axe)) radical. Practice 斬 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 斬る (きる (kiru) — beheading).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (斬)
Primary Radical (部首): 斤 — おの (axe)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 斤
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ザン, サン, セン, ゼン) when 斬 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (き.る) when 斬 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 斬 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 斤 (おの (axe)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 斤 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: 斤 (おの (axe))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 11 strokes under radical 斤.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 斬
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 斬 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 斬 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 斬 ("beheading, kill, murder") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 斤 (おの (axe)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 斬 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 斤 (おの (axe)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 斤 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 斬?
For 斬 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ザン, サン, セン, ゼン and the Kunyomi is き.る. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ザン, サン, セン, ゼン) when 斬 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (き.る) when 斬 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 斬 includes 斬る (きる (kiru) — beheading).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 斬 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 斬 (beheading, kill, murder), start with the 斤 (おの (axe)) 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 斬 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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