How to Write 灯 (lamp, a light, light, counter for lights) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 6-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 灯 (“lamp, a light, light, counter for lights”), indexed under the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical. Practice 灯 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 灯 (ひ (hi) — lamp), 灯 (ほ (ho) — lamp).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (灯)
Primary Radical (部首): 火 — ひ / れっか (fire)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Fire, heat, burning, cooking, light, and passion
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (トウ) when 灯 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ひ, ほ-, ともしび, とも.す, あかり) when 灯 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (6画): Written with 6 strokes, 灯 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 火 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
火 (meaning) + 丁 (sound チョウ)
Derived from the meaning radical 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) and the phonetic component 丁, giving the on-reading チョウ / テイ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 灯
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 灯 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 灯 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 灯 ("lamp, a light, light, counter for lights") is written with 6 strokes (6画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical. Written with 6 strokes, 灯 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 火 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 灯?
For 灯 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is トウ and the Kunyomi is ひ, ほ-, ともしび, とも.す, あかり. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (トウ) when 灯 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ひ, ほ-, ともしび, とも.す, あかり) when 灯 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 灯 includes 灯 (ひ (hi) — lamp), 灯 (ほ (ho) — lamp).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 灯 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 6 strokes of 灯 (lamp, a light, light, counter for lights), start with the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) 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 灯 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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