How to Write 貧 (poverty, poor) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 貧 (“poverty, poor”), indexed under the 貝 (かい (shell)) radical. Practice 貧 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 貧しい (まずしい (mazushii) — poverty).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (貧)
Primary Radical (部首): 貝 — かい (shell)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Ancient cowrie money, commerce, buying, and wealth
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N3). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヒン, ビン) when 貧 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まず.しい) when 貧 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 貧 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 貝 (かい (shell)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 貝 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
貝 (meaning) + 分 (sound ブン)
Derived from the meaning radical 貝 (かい (shell)) and the phonetic component 分, giving the on-reading ブン / フン.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 貧
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 貧 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 貧 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 貧 ("poverty, poor") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N3 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 貝 (かい (shell)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 貧 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 貝 (かい (shell)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 貝 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 貧?
For 貧 (JLPT N3), the Onyomi is ヒン, ビン and the Kunyomi is まず.しい. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ヒン, ビン) when 貧 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (まず.しい) when 貧 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 貧 includes 貧しい (まずしい (mazushii) — poverty).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 貧 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 貧 (poverty, poor), start with the 貝 (かい (shell)) 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 貧 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N3 Characters to Practice Next
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