How to Write 玄 (mysterious, occultness, black, deep, profound) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 5-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 玄 (“mysterious, occultness, black, deep, profound”), indexed under the 玄 (げん (dark)) radical. Practice 玄 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 玄 (くろ (kuro) — mysterious), 玄い (くろい (kuroi) — mysterious).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (玄)
Primary Radical (部首): 玄 — げん (dark)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 玄
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ゲン) when 玄 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (くろ, くろ.い) when 玄 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (5画): With only 5 strokes, 玄 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 玄 (げん (dark)) structure (Standalone / Integrated position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 玄 (げん (dark))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 5 strokes under radical 玄.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 玄
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 玄 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 玄 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 玄 ("mysterious, occultness, black, deep, profound") is written with 5 strokes (5画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) foundational low-stroke shape (1–5 strokes) indexed under the 玄 (げん (dark)) radical. With only 5 strokes, 玄 is a foundational shape where center-of-gravity alignment on the Genkō Yōshi (原稿用紙) crosshairs is immediately visible. Anchor the 玄 (げん (dark)) structure (Standalone / Integrated position) cleanly around the center intersection and finish terminal strokes with crisp tome (stop) or harai (sweep) release.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 玄?
For 玄 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ゲン and the Kunyomi is くろ, くろ.い. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ゲン) when 玄 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (くろ, くろ.い) when 玄 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 玄 includes 玄 (くろ (kuro) — mysterious), 玄い (くろい (kuroi) — mysterious).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 玄 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 5 strokes of 玄 (mysterious, occultness, black, deep, profound), start with the 玄 (げん (dark)) 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 玄 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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