How to Write 茶 (tea) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 9-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) character 茶 (“tea”), indexed under the 艸 (くさかんむり (grass)) radical. Practice 茶 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 茶 (チャ / ちゃ (cha) — tea).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (茶)
Primary Radical (部首): 艸 — くさかんむり (grass)
Radical Position: Top (Kanmuri / 冠) (冠 (Kanmuri))
Semantic Theme: Herbs, grass, flowers, vegetation, and botanical life
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生) (JLPT N4). 茶 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (チャ, サ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (9画): Written with 9 strokes, 茶 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 艸 (くさかんむり (grass)) radical (Top (Kanmuri / 冠) position). Establish the 艸 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 艸 (くさかんむり (grass))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 9 strokes under radical 艸.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 茶
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 茶 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 茶 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 茶 ("tea") is written with 9 strokes (9画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 2 (小学2年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 艸 (くさかんむり (grass)) radical. Written with 9 strokes, 茶 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 艸 (くさかんむり (grass)) radical (Top (Kanmuri / 冠) position). Establish the 艸 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 7 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 茶?
For 茶 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is チャ, サ and the Kunyomi is —. 茶 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (チャ, サ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 茶 includes 茶 (チャ / ちゃ (cha) — tea).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 茶 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 9 strokes of 茶 (tea), start with the 艸 (くさかんむり (grass)) in the Top (Kanmuri / 冠) (冠 (Kanmuri)) 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 茶 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N4 Characters to Practice Next
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