How to Write 欠 (lack, gap, fail, yawning radical (no. 76)) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 4-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 欠 (“lack, gap, fail, yawning radical (no. 76)”), indexed under the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) radical. Practice 欠 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 欠ける (かける (kakeru) — lack), 欠く (かく (kaku) — lack).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (欠)
Primary Radical (部首): 欠 — あくび (lack/yawn)
Radical Position: Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri))
Semantic Theme: Breathing out, yearning, singing, and deficiency
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケツ, ケン) when 欠 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (か.ける, か.く) when 欠 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (4画): With only 4 strokes, 欠 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) structure (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 4 strokes under radical 欠.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 欠
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 欠 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 欠 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 欠 ("lack, gap, fail, yawning radical (no. 76)") is written with 4 strokes (4画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) radical. With only 4 strokes, 欠 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) structure (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 欠?
For 欠 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ケツ, ケン and the Kunyomi is か.ける, か.く. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケツ, ケン) when 欠 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (か.ける, か.く) when 欠 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 欠 includes 欠ける (かける (kakeru) — lack), 欠く (かく (kaku) — lack).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 欠 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 4 strokes of 欠 (lack, gap, fail, yawning radical (no. 76)), start with the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) in the Right (Tsukuri / 旁) (旁 (Tsukuri)) 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 欠 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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