How to Write 泉 (spring, fountain) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) character 泉 (“spring, fountain”), indexed under the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical. Practice 泉 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 泉 (いずみ (izumi) — spring).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (泉)
Primary Radical (部首): 水 — みず / さんずい (water)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Water, rivers, liquids, and cleansing
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (セン) when 泉 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いずみ) when 泉 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 泉 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 水 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
水 (meaning) + 水 (sound スイ)
Derived from the meaning radical 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) and the phonetic component 水, giving the on-reading スイ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 泉
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 泉 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 泉 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 泉 ("spring, fountain") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 泉 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 水 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 泉?
For 泉 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is セン and the Kunyomi is いずみ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (セン) when 泉 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (いずみ) when 泉 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 泉 includes 泉 (いずみ (izumi) — spring).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 泉 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 泉 (spring, fountain), start with the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) 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 泉 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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