How to Write 腐 (rot, decay, sour) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 14-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 腐 (“rot, decay, sour”), indexed under the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical. Practice 腐 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 腐る (くさる (kusaru) — rot), 腐る (くさる (kusaru) — rot).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (腐)
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). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (フ) when 腐 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (くさ.る, -くさ.る, くさ.れる, くさ.れ, くさ.らす, くさ.す) when 腐 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (14画): At 14 strokes, 腐 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 14 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 14 strokes under radical 肉.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 腐
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 腐 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 腐 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 腐 ("rot, decay, sour") is written with 14 strokes (14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 14 strokes, 腐 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 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 腐?
For 腐 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is フ and the Kunyomi is くさ.る, -くさ.る, くさ.れる, くさ.れ, くさ.らす, くさ.す. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (フ) when 腐 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (くさ.る, -くさ.る, くさ.れる, くさ.れ, くさ.らす, くさ.す) when 腐 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 腐 includes 腐る (くさる (kusaru) — rot), 腐る (くさる (kusaru) — rot).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 腐 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 14 strokes of 腐 (rot, decay, sour), 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 腐 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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