How to Write 灰 (ashes, puckery juice, cremate) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 6-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) character 灰 (“ashes, puckery juice, cremate”), indexed under the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical. Practice 灰 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 灰 (はい (hai) — ashes).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (灰)
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 6 (小学6年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (カイ) when 灰 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (はい) when 灰 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (6画): Written with 6 strokes, 灰 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) + 火 (sound カ)
Derived from the meaning radical 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) and the phonetic component 火, giving the on-reading カ.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 灰
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 灰 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 灰 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 灰 ("ashes, puckery juice, cremate") is written with 6 strokes (6画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 6 (小学6年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical. Written with 6 strokes, 灰 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 灰?
For 灰 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is カイ and the Kunyomi is はい. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (カイ) when 灰 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (はい) when 灰 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 灰 includes 灰 (はい (hai) — ashes).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 灰 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 6 strokes of 灰 (ashes, puckery juice, cremate), 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 灰 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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