How to Write 肩 (shoulder) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 肩 (“shoulder”), indexed under the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical. Practice 肩 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 肩 (かた (kata) — shoulder).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (肩)
Primary Radical (部首): 肉 — にく / にくづき (meat)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Meat, muscle, organs, and anatomy of the body
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケン) when 肩 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (かた) when 肩 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 肩 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 肉 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 肉.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 肩
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 肩 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 肩 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 肩 ("shoulder") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 肩 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 肉 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 肩?
For 肩 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ケン and the Kunyomi is かた. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ケン) when 肩 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (かた) when 肩 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 肩 includes 肩 (かた (kata) — shoulder).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 肩 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 肩 (shoulder), start with the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) 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 肩 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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