How to Write 膨 (swell, get fat, thick) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 16-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 膨 (“swell, get fat, thick”), indexed under the 肉 (にく / にくづき (meat)) radical. Practice 膨 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 膨らむ (ふくらむ (fukuramu) — swell), 膨れる (ふくれる (fukureru) — swell).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (膨)
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 (ボウ) when 膨 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ふく.らむ, ふく.れる) when 膨 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (16画): At 16 strokes, 膨 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 16 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 16 strokes under radical 肉.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 膨
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 膨 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 膨 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 膨 ("swell, get fat, thick") is written with 16 strokes (16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 16 strokes, 膨 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 16 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 膨?
For 膨 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ボウ and the Kunyomi is ふく.らむ, ふく.れる. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ボウ) when 膨 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (ふく.らむ, ふく.れる) when 膨 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 膨 includes 膨らむ (ふくらむ (fukuramu) — swell), 膨れる (ふくれる (fukureru) — swell).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 膨 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 16 strokes of 膨 (swell, get fat, thick), 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 膨 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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