How to Write 腎 (kidney) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 13-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 腎 (“kidney”), indexed under the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical. Practice 腎 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 腎 (ジン / じん (jin) — kidney).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (腎)
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 N1). 腎 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジン) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (13画): At 13 strokes, 腎 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 13 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 13 strokes under radical 肉.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 腎
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 腎 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 腎 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 腎 ("kidney") is written with 13 strokes (13画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical. At 13 strokes, 腎 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 13 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 腎?
For 腎 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ジン and the Kunyomi is —. 腎 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ジン) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 腎 includes 腎 (ジン / じん (jin) — kidney).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 腎 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 13 strokes of 腎 (kidney), 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 腎 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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