How to Write 身 (somebody, person, one's station in life) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 7-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 身 (“somebody, person, one's station in life”), indexed under the 身 (み (body)) radical. Practice 身 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 身 (み (mi) — somebody).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (身)
Primary Radical (部首): 身 — み (body)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 身
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シン) when 身 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (み) when 身 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (7画): Written with 7 strokes, 身 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 身 (み (body)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 身 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 身 (み (body))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 7 strokes under radical 身.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 身
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 身 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 身 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 身 ("somebody, person, one's station in life") is written with 7 strokes (7画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 身 (み (body)) radical. Written with 7 strokes, 身 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 身 (み (body)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 身 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 5 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 身?
For 身 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is シン and the Kunyomi is み. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シン) when 身 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (み) when 身 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 身 includes 身 (み (mi) — somebody).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 身 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 7 strokes of 身 (somebody, person, one's station in life), start with the 身 (み (body)) 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 身 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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