How to Write 盆 (basin, lantern festival, tray) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 盆 (“basin, lantern festival, tray”), indexed under the 皿 (さら (dish)) radical. Practice 盆 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 盆 (ボン / ぼん (bon) — basin).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (盆)
Primary Radical (部首): 皿 — さら (dish)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 皿
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). 盆 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ボン) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 盆 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 皿 (さら (dish)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 皿 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
皿 (meaning) + 分 (sound ブン)
Derived from the meaning radical 皿 (さら (dish)) and the phonetic component 分, giving the on-reading ブン / フン.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 盆
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 盆 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 盆 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 盆 ("basin, lantern festival, tray") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 皿 (さら (dish)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 盆 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 皿 (さら (dish)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 皿 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 盆?
For 盆 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ボン and the Kunyomi is —. 盆 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ボン) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 盆 includes 盆 (ボン / ぼん (bon) — basin).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 盆 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 盆 (basin, lantern festival, tray), start with the 皿 (さら (dish)) 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 盆 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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