How to Write 柔 (tender, weakness, gentleness, softness) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 柔 (“tender, weakness, gentleness, softness”), indexed under the 木 (き / きへん (tree)) radical. Practice 柔 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 柔らか (やわらか (yawaraka) — tender), 柔らかい (やわらかい (yawarakai) — tender).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (柔)
Primary Radical (部首): 木 — き / きへん (tree)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Trees, plants, wooden artifacts, and forest nature
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジュウ, ニュウ) when 柔 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (やわ.らか, やわ.らかい, やわ, やわ.ら) when 柔 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 柔 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 木 (き / きへん (tree)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 木 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 木 (き / きへん (tree))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 9 strokes under radical 木.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 柔
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 柔 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 柔 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 柔 ("tender, weakness, gentleness, softness") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 木 (き / きへん (tree)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 柔 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 木 (き / きへん (tree)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 木 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 柔?
For 柔 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ジュウ, ニュウ and the Kunyomi is やわ.らか, やわ.らかい, やわ, やわ.ら. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジュウ, ニュウ) when 柔 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (やわ.らか, やわ.らかい, やわ, やわ.ら) when 柔 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 柔 includes 柔らか (やわらか (yawaraka) — tender), 柔らかい (やわらかい (yawarakai) — tender).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 柔 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 柔 (tender, weakness, gentleness, softness), start with the 木 (き / きへん (tree)) 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 柔 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N2 Characters to Practice Next
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