How to Write 注 (pour, irrigate, shed (tears), flow into, concentrate on) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 注 (“pour, irrigate, shed (tears), flow into, concentrate on”), indexed under the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical. Practice 注 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 注ぐ (そそぐ (sosogu) — pour), 注す (さす (sasu) — pour).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (注)
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 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (チュウ) when 注 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (そそ.ぐ, さ.す, つ.ぐ) when 注 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 注 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)
水 (meaning) + 主 (sound シュ)
Derived from the meaning radical 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) and the phonetic component 主, giving the on-reading シュ / ス.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 注
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 注 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 注 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 注 ("pour, irrigate, shed (tears), flow into, concentrate on") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3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, 注 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 注?
For 注 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is チュウ and the Kunyomi is そそ.ぐ, さ.す, つ.ぐ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (チュウ) when 注 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (そそ.ぐ, さ.す, つ.ぐ) when 注 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 注 includes 注ぐ (そそぐ (sosogu) — pour), 注す (さす (sasu) — pour).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 注 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 注 (pour, irrigate, shed (tears), flow into, concentrate on), 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 注 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N4 Characters to Practice Next
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