How to Write 祖 (ancestor, pioneer, founder) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 祖 (“ancestor, pioneer, founder”), indexed under the 示 (しめす / しめすへん (altar/show)) radical. Practice 祖 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 祖 (ソ / そ (so) — ancestor).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (祖)
Primary Radical (部首): 示 — しめす / しめすへん (altar/show)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 示
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N3). 祖 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ソ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 祖 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 示 (しめす / しめすへん (altar/show)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 示 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 示 (しめす / しめすへん (altar/show))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 9 strokes under radical 示.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 祖
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 祖 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 祖 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 祖 ("ancestor, pioneer, founder") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 示 (しめす / しめすへん (altar/show)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 祖 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 示 (しめす / しめすへん (altar/show)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 示 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 祖?
For 祖 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ソ and the Kunyomi is —. 祖 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ソ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 祖 includes 祖 (ソ / そ (so) — ancestor).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 祖 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 祖 (ancestor, pioneer, founder), start with the 示 (しめす / しめすへん (altar/show)) 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 祖 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N3 Characters to Practice Next
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