How to Write 講 (lecture, club, association) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 17-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 講 (“lecture, club, association”), indexed under the 言 (ことば / ごんべん (word/speech)) radical. Practice 講 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 講 (コウ / こう (kou) — lecture).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (講)
Primary Radical (部首): 言 — ことば / ごんべん (word/speech)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Speech, words, language, plans, and dialogue
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N2). 講 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (コウ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (17画): At 17 strokes, 講 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 言 (ことば / ごんべん (word/speech)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 17 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 言 (ことば / ごんべん (word/speech))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 17 strokes under radical 言.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 講
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 講 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 講 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 講 ("lecture, club, association") is written with 17 strokes (17画) as a JLPT N2 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 言 (ことば / ごんべん (word/speech)) radical. At 17 strokes, 講 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 言 (ことば / ごんべん (word/speech)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 17 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 講?
For 講 (JLPT N2), the Onyomi is コウ and the Kunyomi is —. 講 is primarily read using its Sino-Japanese Onyomi (コウ) inside formal Jukugo compound words rather than as a standalone Kunyomi stem. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 講 includes 講 (コウ / こう (kou) — lecture).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 講 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 17 strokes of 講 (lecture, club, association), start with the 言 (ことば / ごんべん (word/speech)) 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 講 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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