How to Write 老 (old man, old age, grow old) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 6-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) character 老 (“old man, old age, grow old”), indexed under the 老 (おい (old)) radical. Practice 老 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 老いる (おいる (oiru) — old man), 老ける (ふける (fukeru) — old man).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (老)
Primary Radical (部首): 老 — おい (old)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 老
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ロウ) when 老 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (お.いる, ふ.ける) when 老 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (6画): Written with 6 strokes, 老 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 老 (おい (old)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 老 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 老 (おい (old))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 6 strokes under radical 老.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 老
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 老 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 老 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 老 ("old man, old age, grow old") is written with 6 strokes (6画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 4 (小学4年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 老 (おい (old)) radical. Written with 6 strokes, 老 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 老 (おい (old)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 老 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 4 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 老?
For 老 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ロウ and the Kunyomi is お.いる, ふ.ける. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ロウ) when 老 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (お.いる, ふ.ける) when 老 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 老 includes 老いる (おいる (oiru) — old man), 老ける (ふける (fukeru) — old man).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 老 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 6 strokes of 老 (old man, old age, grow old), start with the 老 (おい (old)) 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 老 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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