How to Write 更 (grow late, night watch, sit up late, of course, renew) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 更 (“grow late, night watch, sit up late, of course, renew”), indexed under the 曰 (ひらび (say)) radical. Practice 更 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 更 (さら (sara) — grow late), 更に (さらに (sarani) — grow late).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (更)
Primary Radical (部首): 曰 — ひらび (say)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 曰
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (コウ) when 更 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (さら, さら.に, ふ.ける, ふ.かす) when 更 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 更 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 曰 (ひらび (say)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 曰 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 曰 (ひらび (say))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 曰.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 更
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 更 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 更 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 更 ("grow late, night watch, sit up late, of course, renew") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 曰 (ひらび (say)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 更 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 曰 (ひらび (say)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 曰 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 更?
For 更 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is コウ and the Kunyomi is さら, さら.に, ふ.ける, ふ.かす. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (コウ) when 更 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (さら, さら.に, ふ.ける, ふ.かす) when 更 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 更 includes 更 (さら (sara) — grow late), 更に (さらに (sarani) — grow late).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 更 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 更 (grow late, night watch, sit up late, of course, renew), start with the 曰 (ひらび (say)) 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 更 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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