How to Write 昭 (shining, bright) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 昭 (“shining, bright”), indexed under the 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day)) radical. Practice 昭 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 昭 (ショウ / しょう (shou) — shining).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (昭)
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 N1). 昭 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ショウ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 昭 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 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
日 (meaning) + 召 (sound ショウ)
Derived from the meaning radical 日 (ひ / にち (sun/day)) and the phonetic component 召, giving the on-reading ショウ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 昭
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 昭 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 昭 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 昭 ("shining, bright") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N1 (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 9 strokes, 昭 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 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 昭?
For 昭 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ショウ and the Kunyomi is —. 昭 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ショウ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 昭 includes 昭 (ショウ / しょう (shou) — shining).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 昭 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 昭 (shining, bright), 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 昭 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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