How to Write 眠 (sleep, die, sleepy) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 10-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 眠 (“sleep, die, sleepy”), indexed under the 目 (め (eye)) radical. Practice 眠 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 眠る (ねむる (nemuru) — sleep), 眠い (ねむい (nemui) — sleep).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (眠)
Primary Radical (部首): 目 — め (eye)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Eyes, watching, sleeping, vision, and gaze
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ミン) when 眠 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ねむ.る, ねむ.い) when 眠 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (10画): Written with 10 strokes, 眠 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 目 (め (eye)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 目 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 目 (め (eye))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 10 strokes under radical 目.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 眠
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 眠 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 眠 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 眠 ("sleep, die, sleepy") is written with 10 strokes (10画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 目 (め (eye)) radical. Written with 10 strokes, 眠 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 目 (め (eye)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 目 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 眠?
For 眠 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ミン and the Kunyomi is ねむ.る, ねむ.い. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ミン) when 眠 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ねむ.る, ねむ.い) when 眠 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 眠 includes 眠る (ねむる (nemuru) — sleep), 眠い (ねむい (nemui) — sleep).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 眠 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 10 strokes of 眠 (sleep, die, sleepy), start with the 目 (め (eye)) in the Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen)) 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 眠 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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