How to Write 酸 (acid, bitterness, sour, tart) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 14-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) character 酸 (“acid, bitterness, sour, tart”), indexed under the 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake)) radical. Practice 酸 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 酸い (すい (sui) — acid).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (酸)
Primary Radical (部首): 酉 — ひよみのとり (wine/sake)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 酉
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (サン) when 酸 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (す.い) when 酸 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (14画): At 14 strokes, 酸 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 14 strokes under radical 酉.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 酸
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 酸 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 酸 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 酸 ("acid, bitterness, sour, tart") is written with 14 strokes (14画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 5 (小学5年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake)) radical. At 14 strokes, 酸 is a high-density Kanji where compact internal spacing prevents visual crowding. Keep the 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position) slim and space internal horizontal strokes evenly so all 14 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 酸?
For 酸 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is サン and the Kunyomi is す.い. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (サン) when 酸 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (す.い) when 酸 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 酸 includes 酸い (すい (sui) — acid).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 酸 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 14 strokes of 酸 (acid, bitterness, sour, tart), start with the 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake)) 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 酸 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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