How to Write 於 (at, in, on, as for) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) character 於 (“at, in, on, as for”), indexed under the 方 (ほう (direction)) radical. Practice 於 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 於て (おいて (oite) — at), 於ける (おける (okeru) — at).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (於)
Primary Radical (部首): 方 — ほう (direction)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 方
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (オ, ヨ) when 於 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おい.て, お.ける, ああ, より) when 於 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 於 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 方 (ほう (direction)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 方 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 方 (ほう (direction))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 方.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 於
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 於 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 於 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 於 ("at, in, on, as for") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 方 (ほう (direction)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 於 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 方 (ほう (direction)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 方 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 於?
For 於 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is オ, ヨ and the Kunyomi is おい.て, お.ける, ああ, より. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (オ, ヨ) when 於 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おい.て, お.ける, ああ, より) when 於 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 於 includes 於て (おいて (oite) — at), 於ける (おける (okeru) — at).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 於 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 於 (at, in, on, as for), start with the 方 (ほう (direction)) 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 於 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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