How to Write 災 (disaster, calamity, woe, curse, evil) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 災 (“disaster, calamity, woe, curse, evil”), indexed under the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical. Practice 災 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 災い (わざわい (wazawai) — disaster).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (災)
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 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (サイ) when 災 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (わざわ.い) when 災 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 災 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 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 火 (ひ / れっか (fire))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 火.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 災
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 災 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 災 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 災 ("disaster, calamity, woe, curse, evil") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 火 (ひ / れっか (fire)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 災 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 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 災?
For 災 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is サイ and the Kunyomi is わざわ.い. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (サイ) when 災 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (わざわ.い) when 災 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 災 includes 災い (わざわい (wazawai) — disaster).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 災 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 災 (disaster, calamity, woe, curse, evil), 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 災 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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