How to Write 爾 (you, thou, second person) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 14-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) character 爾 (“you, thou, second person”), indexed under the 爻 (こう (mix)) radical. Practice 爾 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 爾 (なんじ (nanji) — you), 爾 (しかり (shikari) — you).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (爾)
Primary Radical (部首): 爻 — こう (mix)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 爻
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジ, ニ) when 爾 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (なんじ, しかり, その, のみ, おれ, しか) when 爾 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (14画): At 14 strokes, 爾 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 爻 (こう (mix)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 爻 (こう (mix))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 14 strokes under radical 爻.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 爾
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 爾 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 爾 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 爾 ("you, thou, second person") is written with 14 strokes (14画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 爻 (こう (mix)) radical. At 14 strokes, 爾 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 爻 (こう (mix)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 爾?
For 爾 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ジ, ニ and the Kunyomi is なんじ, しかり, その, のみ, おれ, しか. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジ, ニ) when 爾 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (なんじ, しかり, その, のみ, おれ, しか) when 爾 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 爾 includes 爾 (なんじ (nanji) — you), 爾 (しかり (shikari) — you).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 爾 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 14 strokes of 爾 (you, thou, second person), start with the 爻 (こう (mix)) in the Standalone / Integrated (部首) 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 爾 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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