How to Write 泥 (mud, mire, adhere to, be attached to) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 泥 (“mud, mire, adhere to, be attached to”), indexed under the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical. Practice 泥 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 泥 (どろ (doro) — mud), 泥む (なずむ (nazumu) — mud).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (泥)
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 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (デイ, ナイ, デ, ニ) when 泥 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (どろ, なず.む) when 泥 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 泥 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 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 水 (みず / さんずい (water))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 水.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 泥
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 泥 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 泥 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 泥 ("mud, mire, adhere to, be attached to") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 泥 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 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 泥?
For 泥 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is デイ, ナイ, デ, ニ and the Kunyomi is どろ, なず.む. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (デイ, ナイ, デ, ニ) when 泥 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (どろ, なず.む) when 泥 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 泥 includes 泥 (どろ (doro) — mud), 泥む (なずむ (nazumu) — mud).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 泥 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 泥 (mud, mire, adhere to, be attached to), 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 泥 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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