How to Write 璧 (sphere, ball) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 18-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 璧 (“sphere, ball”), indexed under the 玉 (たま / たまへん (jade/jewel)) radical. Practice 璧 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 璧 (たま (tama) — sphere).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (璧)
Primary Radical (部首): 玉 — たま / たまへん (jade/jewel)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 玉
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヘキ) when 璧 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (たま) when 璧 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (18画): At 18 strokes, 璧 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 玉 (たま / たまへん (jade/jewel)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 18 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 玉 (たま / たまへん (jade/jewel))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 18 strokes under radical 玉.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 璧
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 璧 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 璧 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 璧 ("sphere, ball") is written with 18 strokes (18画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 玉 (たま / たまへん (jade/jewel)) radical. At 18 strokes, 璧 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 玉 (たま / たまへん (jade/jewel)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 18 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 璧?
For 璧 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ヘキ and the Kunyomi is たま. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヘキ) when 璧 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (たま) when 璧 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 璧 includes 璧 (たま (tama) — sphere).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 璧 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 18 strokes of 璧 (sphere, ball), start with the 玉 (たま / たまへん (jade/jewel)) 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 璧 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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