How to Write 昔 (once upon a time, antiquity, old times) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 昔 (“once upon a time, antiquity, old times”), indexed under the 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day)) radical. Practice 昔 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 昔 (むかし (mukashi) — once upon a time).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (昔)
Primary Radical (部首): 日 — ひ / にち (sun/day)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Sun, daylight, time, brightness, and warmth
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (セキ, シャク) when 昔 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (むかし) when 昔 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 昔 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 日 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: 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 日.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 昔
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 昔 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 昔 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 昔 ("once upon a time, antiquity, old times") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 昔 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 日 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 昔?
For 昔 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is セキ, シャク and the Kunyomi is むかし. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (セキ, シャク) when 昔 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (むかし) when 昔 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 昔 includes 昔 (むかし (mukashi) — once upon a time).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 昔 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 昔 (once upon a time, antiquity, old times), start with the 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day)) in the Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen)) 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 昔 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N3 Characters to Practice Next
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