How to Write 男 (male, man) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) character 男 (“male, man”), indexed under the 田 (た (rice field)) radical. Practice 男 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 男の人 (おとこのひと (otokonohito) — man), 男子 (だんし (danshi) — boy / young man).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (男)
Primary Radical (部首): 田 — た (rice field)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 田
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生) (JLPT N5). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ダン, ナン) when 男 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おとこ) when 男 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 男 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 田 (た (rice field)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 田 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
田 (meaning) + 田 (sound デン)
Derived from the meaning radical 田 (た (rice field)) and the phonetic component 田, giving the on-reading デン.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 男
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 男 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 男 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 男 ("male, man") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N5 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 1 (小学1年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 田 (た (rice field)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 男 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 田 (た (rice field)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 田 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 男?
For 男 (JLPT N5), the Onyomi is ダン, ナン and the Kunyomi is おとこ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ダン, ナン) when 男 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おとこ) when 男 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 男 includes 男の人 (おとこのひと (otokonohito) — man), 男子 (だんし (danshi) — boy / young man).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 男 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 男 (male, man), start with the 田 (た (rice field)) 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 男 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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