How to Write 阿 (Africa, flatter, fawn upon, corner, nook) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 8-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) character 阿 (“Africa, flatter, fawn upon, corner, nook”), indexed under the 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound)) radical. Practice 阿 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 阿る (おもねる (omoneru) — Africa), 阿 (くま (kuma) — Africa).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (阿)
Primary Radical (部首): 阜 — こざとへん (hill/mound)
Radical Position: Standalone / Integrated (部首)
Semantic Theme: Radical 阜
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ア, オ) when 阿 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おもね.る, くま) when 阿 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (8画): Written with 8 strokes, 阿 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 阜 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 8 strokes under radical 阜.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 阿
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 阿 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 阿 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 阿 ("Africa, flatter, fawn upon, corner, nook") is written with 8 strokes (8画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 9 (小学9年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound)) radical. Written with 8 strokes, 阿 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound)) radical (Standalone / Integrated position). Establish the 阜 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 6 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 阿?
For 阿 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is ア, オ and the Kunyomi is おもね.る, くま. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (ア, オ) when 阿 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (おもね.る, くま) when 阿 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 阿 includes 阿る (おもねる (omoneru) — Africa), 阿 (くま (kuma) — Africa).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 阿 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 8 strokes of 阿 (Africa, flatter, fawn upon, corner, nook), start with the 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound)) 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 阿 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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