How to Write 美 (beauty, beautiful) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 美 (“beauty, beautiful”), indexed under the 羊 (ひつじ (sheep)) radical. Practice 美 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 美しい (うつくしい (utsukushii) — beauty).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (美)
Primary Radical (部首): 羊 — ひつじ (sheep)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 羊
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ビ, ミ) when 美 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (うつく.しい) when 美 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 美 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 羊 (ひつじ (sheep)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 羊 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: 羊 (ひつじ (sheep))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 9 strokes under radical 羊.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 美
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 美 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 美 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 美 ("beauty, beautiful") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 羊 (ひつじ (sheep)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 美 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 羊 (ひつじ (sheep)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 羊 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 美?
For 美 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ビ, ミ and the Kunyomi is うつく.しい. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ビ, ミ) when 美 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (うつく.しい) when 美 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 美 includes 美しい (うつくしい (utsukushii) — beauty).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 美 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 美 (beauty, beautiful), start with the 羊 (ひつじ (sheep)) 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 美 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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