How to Write 眼 (eyeball) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 眼 (“eyeball”), indexed under the 目 (め (eye)) radical. Practice 眼 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 眼 (まなこ (manako) — eyeball), 眼 (め (me) — eyeball).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (眼)
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 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガン, ゲン) when 眼 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まなこ, め) when 眼 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 眼 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 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 目 (め (eye))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 11 strokes under radical 目.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 眼
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 眼 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 眼 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 眼 ("eyeball") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 目 (め (eye)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 眼 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 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 眼?
For 眼 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ガン, ゲン and the Kunyomi is まなこ, め. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ガン, ゲン) when 眼 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まなこ, め) when 眼 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 眼 includes 眼 (まなこ (manako) — eyeball), 眼 (め (me) — eyeball).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 眼 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 眼 (eyeball), 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 眼 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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