How to Write 被 (incur, cover, veil, brood over, shelter) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 10-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 被 (“incur, cover, veil, brood over, shelter”), indexed under the 衣 (ころも / ころもへん (clothes)) radical. Practice 被 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 被る (こうむる (koumuru) — incur), 被う (おおう (oou) — incur).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (被)
Primary Radical (部首): 衣 — ころも / ころもへん (clothes)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 衣
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N2). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヒ) when 被 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こうむ.る, おお.う, かぶ.る, かぶ.せる) when 被 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (10画): Written with 10 strokes, 被 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 衣 (ころも / ころもへん (clothes)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 衣 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 衣 (ころも / ころもへん (clothes))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 10 strokes under radical 衣.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 被
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 被 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 被 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 被 ("incur, cover, veil, brood over, shelter") is written with 10 strokes (10画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 衣 (ころも / ころもへん (clothes)) radical. Written with 10 strokes, 被 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 衣 (ころも / ころもへん (clothes)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 衣 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 8 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 被?
For 被 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is ヒ and the Kunyomi is こうむ.る, おお.う, かぶ.る, かぶ.せる. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヒ) when 被 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (こうむ.る, おお.う, かぶ.る, かぶ.せる) when 被 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 被 includes 被る (こうむる (koumuru) — incur), 被う (おおう (oou) — incur).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 被 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 10 strokes of 被 (incur, cover, veil, brood over, shelter), start with the 衣 (ころも / ころもへん (clothes)) in the Standalone / Integrated (部首) 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 被 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N2 Characters to Practice Next
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