How to Write 欲 (longing, covetousness, greed, passion, desire) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) character 欲 (“longing, covetousness, greed, passion, desire”), indexed under the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) radical. Practice 欲 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 欲する (ほっする (hossuru) — longing), 欲しい (ほしい (hoshii) — longing).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (欲)
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 6 (小学6年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヨク) when 欲 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ほっ.する, ほ.しい) when 欲 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 欲 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position). Establish the 欠 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 11 strokes under radical 欠.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 欲
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 欲 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 欲 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 欲 ("longing, covetousness, greed, passion, desire") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 欲 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 欠 (あくび (lack/yawn)) radical (Right (Tsukuri / 旁) position). Establish the 欠 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 欲?
For 欲 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ヨク and the Kunyomi is ほっ.する, ほ.しい. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヨク) when 欲 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ほっ.する, ほ.しい) when 欲 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 欲 includes 欲する (ほっする (hossuru) — longing), 欲しい (ほしい (hoshii) — longing).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 欲 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 欲 (longing, covetousness, greed, passion, desire), 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 欲 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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