How to Write 深 (deep, heighten, intensify, strengthen) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 深 (“deep, heighten, intensify, strengthen”), indexed under the 水 (みず / さんずい (water)) radical. Practice 深 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 深い (ふかい (fukai) — deep), 深い (ぶかい (bukai) — deep).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (深)
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 N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シン) when 深 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ふか.い, -ぶか.い, ふか.まる, ふか.める, み-) when 深 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 深 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 9 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 11 strokes under radical 水.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 深
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 深 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 深 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 深 ("deep, heighten, intensify, strengthen") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N3 (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 11 strokes, 深 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 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 深?
For 深 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is シン and the Kunyomi is ふか.い, -ぶか.い, ふか.まる, ふか.める, み-. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シン) when 深 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ふか.い, -ぶか.い, ふか.まる, ふか.める, み-) when 深 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 深 includes 深い (ふかい (fukai) — deep), 深い (ぶかい (bukai) — deep).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 深 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 深 (deep, heighten, intensify, strengthen), 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 深 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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