How to Write 陰 (shade, yin, negative, sex organs, secret) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) character 陰 (“shade, yin, negative, sex organs, secret”), indexed under the 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound)) radical. Practice 陰 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 陰 (かげ (kage) — shade), 陰る (かげる (kageru) — shade).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (陰)
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 8 (小学8年生) (JLPT N1). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (イン) when 陰 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (かげ, かげ.る) when 陰 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 陰 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 9 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 11 strokes under radical 阜.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 陰
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 陰 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 陰 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 陰 ("shade, yin, negative, sex organs, secret") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N1 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 8 (小学8年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 阜 (こざとへん (hill/mound)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 陰 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 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 陰?
For 陰 (JLPT N1), the Onyomi is イン and the Kunyomi is かげ, かげ.る. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (イン) when 陰 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (かげ, かげ.る) when 陰 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 陰 includes 陰 (かげ (kage) — shade), 陰る (かげる (kageru) — shade).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 陰 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 陰 (shade, yin, negative, sex organs, secret), 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 陰 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
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