How to Write 科 (department, course, section) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) character 科 (“department, course, section”), indexed under the 禾 (のぎ / のぎへん (grain)) radical. Practice 科 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 科 (カ / か (ka) — department).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (科)
Primary Radical (部首): 禾 — のぎ / のぎへん (grain)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Grain crops, autumn harvest, agriculture, and grain measure
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生) (JLPT N3). 科 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (カ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 科 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 禾 (のぎ / のぎへん (grain)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 禾 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: 禾 (のぎ / のぎへん (grain))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 9 strokes under radical 禾.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 科
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 科 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 科 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 科 ("department, course, section") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 禾 (のぎ / のぎへん (grain)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 科 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 禾 (のぎ / のぎへん (grain)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 禾 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 科?
For 科 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is カ and the Kunyomi is —. 科 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (カ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 科 includes 科 (カ / か (ka) — department).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 科 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 科 (department, course, section), start with the 禾 (のぎ / のぎへん (grain)) 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 科 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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