How to Write 睡 (drowsy, sleep, die) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 13-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 睡 (“drowsy, sleep, die”), indexed under the 目 (め (eye)) radical. Practice 睡 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 睡る (ねむる (nemuru) — drowsy), 睡い (ねむい (nemui) — drowsy).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (睡)
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 N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (スイ) when 睡 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ねむ.る, ねむ.い) when 睡 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (13画): At 13 strokes, 睡 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 目 (め (eye)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 13 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 目 (め (eye))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 13 strokes under radical 目.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 睡
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 睡 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 睡 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 睡 ("drowsy, sleep, die") is written with 13 strokes (13画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 目 (め (eye)) radical. At 13 strokes, 睡 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 目 (め (eye)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 13 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 睡?
For 睡 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is スイ and the Kunyomi is ねむ.る, ねむ.い. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (スイ) when 睡 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ねむ.る, ねむ.い) when 睡 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 睡 includes 睡る (ねむる (nemuru) — drowsy), 睡い (ねむい (nemui) — drowsy).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 睡 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 13 strokes of 睡 (drowsy, sleep, die), 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 睡 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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