How to Write 醜 (ugly, unclean, shame, bad looking) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 17-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 醜 (“ugly, unclean, shame, bad looking”), indexed under the 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake)) radical. Practice 醜 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 醜い (みにくい (minikui) — ugly), 醜 (しこ (shiko) — ugly).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (醜)
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 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シュウ) when 醜 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (みにく.い, しこ) when 醜 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (17画): At 17 strokes, 醜 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 17 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 17 strokes under radical 酉.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 醜
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 醜 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 醜 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 醜 ("ugly, unclean, shame, bad looking") is written with 17 strokes (17画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) high-density multi-component Kanji (12+ strokes) indexed under the 酉 (ひよみのとり (wine/sake)) radical. At 17 strokes, 醜 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 17 strokes fit inside the Genkō Yōshi margins.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 醜?
For 醜 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is シュウ and the Kunyomi is みにく.い, しこ. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (シュウ) when 醜 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (みにく.い, しこ) when 醜 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 醜 includes 醜い (みにくい (minikui) — ugly), 醜 (しこ (shiko) — ugly).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 醜 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 17 strokes of 醜 (ugly, unclean, shame, bad looking), 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 醜 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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